JobsPlus Scheme

Tuesday, 17 November 2015

Questions (79)

Seán Kyne

Question:

79. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the status of progress of the JobsPlus scheme; the number of positions and the companies participating, by county; and the total numbers who have availed of the scheme to date. [40102/15]

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Written answers

Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection

The JobsPlus incentive is designed to encourage employers and businesses to focus their recruitment efforts on those who have been out of work for long periods or on young people seeking work. JobsPlus provides a direct monthly financial incentive to employers in the form of a monthly grant paid over two years. Two levels of grant are payable - €7,500 or €10,000 – depending on the length of time the person is unemployed and provided the employment is maintained. Eligibility was broadened during 2015 to include young jobseekers (under 25 year olds) unemployed for four months or more in the previous six months and jobseekers transitioning from a one parent family payment.

Since the incentive began in July 2013 up to end September 2015, the Department has made total payments of €29.4 m to just over 5,400 employers in respect of just over 7,900 employees. Payments totalling just under €2.1 m were made to 3,954 employers in respect of 5,403 employees in September 2015. Overall, in 2015, an amount of €25.5 m has been provided for JobsPlus, with payments to end September totalling €16.6 million in the year to date.

The distribution of payment by county made in September 2015 (latest figures available) is set out in the table below.

County	Employer	Employees
Carlow	64	94
Cavan	73	102
Clare	78	125
Cork	350	478
Donegal	137	195
Dublin	1,047	1,127
Galway	230	293
Kerry	145	202
Kildare	153	253
Kilkenny	80	98
Laois	84	130
Leitrim	31	56
Limerick	162	228
Longford	47	53
Louth	149	239
Mayo	122	155
Meath	139	227
Monaghan	91	138
Offaly	66	110
Roscommon	55	94
Sligo	69	95
Tipperary	131	208
Waterford	105	168
Westmeath	92	130
Wexford	137	213
Wicklow	117	192
Total	3,954	5,403