Written Answers Nos. 482-502
482. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to restart disability activation schemes or similar projects aimed at supporting young persons with disabilities to find pathways to employment. [13220/16]
View answer520. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Social Protection in respect of the 14 disability activation projects that have been jointly funded by his Department and by the European Social Fund from the end of 2012; his plans to replace the disability activation project, DACT, how much it cost on an annual basis to fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13646/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 482 and 520 together.
The Disability Activation Project (DACT) was jointly funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Department of Social Protection. A total of 14 projects were funded under this programme in the Border, Midlands & West region. The projects commenced at the end of 2012 and terminated on 30 April 2015. Expenditure amounted to just over €7 million over the course of the programme and the table sets out the annual costs.
|
- |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
DACT Expenditure - € million |
€2.43 |
€3.00 |
€1.74 |
The objective of the DACT programme was to explore ways in which people with disabilities are enabled to avail of progression, education and development opportunities within the world of work, so as to help inform future policy on activation/engagement measures for people with disabilities. To this end, the Department commissioned an independent evaluation of the programme, to identify which aspects of the projects would be capable, where appropriate, of being mainstreamed in the delivery of supports to people with disabilities into the future.
The DACT evaluation report is currently being considered by an inter-Departmental working group, chaired by the Department of Social Protection and comprising of the National Disability Authority and representatives of Departments who have commitments under the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for people with disabilities. This working group has been tasked with identifying the next steps in the context of future Disability Activation activities under the new ESF programme, Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (PEIL), 2014-2020. This new ESF programme provides €10 million in funding for future disability activation activities.
While this group has not yet concluded its work, I am satisfied that it will provide a practical means for advancing the positive aspects of the work identified in the DACT evaluation.
483. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide a breakdown of funding allocated to the EmployAbility service, for each county, for the years 2011 to 2016 to date. [13221/16]
View answer484. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide a breakdown of funding allocated to the wage subsidy scheme, for each county, for the years 2011 to 2016 to date. [13222/16]
View answer485. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will provide a breakdown of funding allocated to disability awareness schemes, for each county, for the years 2011 to 2016 to date. [13224/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 483 to 485, inclusive, together.
The Government recognises the importance of increasing participation in employment for persons with a disability, and to this end, my Department provides a wide range of income and work related supports for people with disabilities. These supports include the wage subsidy scheme (WSS), the EmployAbility (supported employment) service and the disability awareness support scheme.
While the expenditure data sought by the Deputy in the various questions is not available on a county by county basis, the table provides details on the overall expenditure for each of the schemes since 2011.
|
- |
Wage Subsidy Scheme - € million |
EmployAbility - € million |
Disability Awareness Programme - € million |
|
2011 |
€10.06 |
€8.40 |
€0.39 |
|
2012 |
€10.57 |
€8.10 |
€0.37 |
|
2013 |
€11.04 |
€8.71 |
€0.40 |
|
2014 |
€12.59 |
€8.43 |
€0.34 |
|
2015 |
€16.39 |
€8.66 |
€0.39 |
|
2016* |
€6.49 |
€2.85 |
€0.17 |
* To May 2016
486. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to expand the number of places available on employment schemes across the country (details supplied), in particular for existing participants and potential applicants over the age of 55; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13366/16]
View answerExpenditure on work programmes and the number of participants increased significantly in recent years in a response to the high levels of unemployment. The numbers of places available on work programmes, including Community Employment (CE), Tús and Rural Social Scheme (RSS), have grown from 25,000 in 2010 to just over 39,000 in 2016 (56% increase). Tús was introduced - and the numbers on CE were expanded - as a direct response to the growth in the level of unemployment during the financial crisis. With the ongoing welcome reductions in the live register, a review of these schemes is necessary to ensure that the number and nature of schemes continues to be appropriate. I will be considering all of these issues over the coming months.
The current pattern of participation on a work programme is dependent on the individual circumstance of each person and the length of time s/he has been in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment. The participation limits that have been set allow for the highest utilisation of places amongst qualifying persons and to ensure the benefit of these schemes are available to the widest possible number of jobseekers. My Department keeps all aspects of its activation programmes under review to ensure the best outcomes for participants.
487. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to scrap JobBridge; his plans in place to replace the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13369/16]
View answer500. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection if and how he will engage with stakeholders and interested parties in the development and delivery of a high quality and well regulated internship programme to replace JobBridge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13409/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 487 and 500 together.
A commitment was given in Pathways to Work to develop and implement a programme of evaluations to assess the impact of Pathways to Work initiatives. One of the first schemes selected for evaluation was JobBridge.
The aim of the evaluation is to assess the effectiveness of the scheme in terms of its key objective of improving employment outcomes for unemployed jobseekers. The evaluation involves a number of elements including:
1. Surveys of host organisation and participants to capture their perspective on, and experience of, JobBridge.
2. An assessment of whether or not JobBridge may be displacing paid employment in the economy.
3. A comparison of employment outcomes of JobBridge participants to matched non-participants.
The JobBridge scheme has been an effective labour market intervention to date. It is estimated that some 15,000 interns went directly into paid employment immediately following a JobBridge internship. Independent research indicates that this rose to 29,000 interns, or 61% of all participants after five months, compared to an average of 34% for comparable programmes in other European countries.
I know people who took part in JobBridge and have benefitted from it. But it was very much a scheme for its time, and I’m planning to replace it with a more appropriate scheme. JobBridge was launched at a time of massive economic uncertainty and widespread unemployment. Companies were simply not hiring because they couldn’t afford to recruit, and in many cases insisted on a minimum level of experience. But large numbers of recent graduates and people who lost their jobs in the recession couldn’t get the relevant workplace experience they needed to get a first or a new job.
That crisis is now over, the economy is growing and employers are hiring again. The labour market has changed and new graduates are once again finding work.
Job creation was at the heart of the last Government with more than 125,000 jobs created, and we have a new target to create a further 200,000. Unemployment has fallen below 8% for the first time since the crash. Although the evidence is largely anecdotal, I am concerned at reports that some employers might be using JobBridge as an alternative to hiring new employees. On the other hand, I am very conscious that there are still many people who lost their jobs in the depth of the recession who are struggling to break back into the labour market and schemes like JobBridge can provide a valuable pathway to such citizens, in particular in instances where it is associated with a training programme.
In order that the design of a new scheme be informed by the best evidence possible and reflect the experience of stakeholders, I am awaiting the results of a second large scale evaluation of JobBridge. This evaluation is currently well advanced; an interim progress report is expected towards the end of June and the final report in September. This report will provide an evidential basis upon which to consider what changes should be made to improve outcomes for Jobseekers and value for money for the State.
488. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Social Protection if he is aware of participants of the JobPath scheme managed by Turas Nua who are seeking to move onto more appropriate community employment schemes, Tús programmes or part-time employment but are being denied the right to do so; the action he will take to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13371/16]
View answerJobPath is an employment activation service that supports people who are long-term unemployed and those most distant from the labour market to secure and sustain full-time paid employment. JobPath is one of the range of activation supports, including schemes such as CE and TÚS, catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers. In order to manage the allocation of activation support places effectively the Department does not facilitate or encourage jobseekers to leave one scheme early in order to take up a place on another scheme. Jobseekers spend a year on JobPath. Participation in other schemes and programmes, including CE and TÚS, remains an option that will be assessed by case officers once the jobseeker’s participation on JobPath is completed.
Participants on JobPath receive intensive individual support to help them address barriers to employment and to assist them in finding full-time sustainable jobs. If they are placed into a job they continue to receive support for at least three months, and up to twelve months, while in employment.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
489. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a carer's allowance application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13374/16]
View answerI confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 29 February 2016. Some additional information in relation to the person’s application was requested by the deciding officer on 27 May 2016. Once the information is received the application will be processed and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
490. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection if persons receiving disability allowance have access to Intreo services while receiving this type of social protection payment; the number of persons, if any, who switched from receiving a disability allowance payment to a jobseeker's payment in order to avail of Intreo services in 2014, 2015 and to date in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13379/16]
View answerThis Government recognises the importance of increasing participation in employment for persons with a disability and is committed to removing any barriers that remain, which prevent those persons with a disability from participating in employment. To this end, a key objective in Pathways to Work 2016-2020 is to progressively extend and intensify the pro-active engagement approach at Intreo Centres to people with disabilities. Currently, people with a disability, including those receiving a Disability Allowance (DA) payment, can voluntarily avail of the Intreo service, where a range of supports are available. Those who present themselves at an Intreo Centre seeking employment supports are referred, without delay, to a Case Officer, or to the Local Employment Service (LES). Through this process a person can access a range of schemes and services, many of which are exclusive to people with disabilities. These include, the Wage Subsidy Scheme (WSS), the Employability (supported employment) Service, Specialist Training Provision and referral to a free and confidential literacy service. In addition, DA recipients can take up employment (which has been certified as rehabilitative) and earn €120 a week with no impact on their weekly DA payment. Furthermore the JobBridge internship scheme is also available to recipients of a wide range of payments including Disability Allowance.
I wish to advise the Deputy that DA recipients are not required to switch to a Jobseeker’s Payment to avail of the range of Intreo Service supports available to people with a disability.
I hope this clarifies the matter.
491. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will report on the waiting times for young persons to meet with job coaches under the Youth Guarantee scheme per county in 2014, 2015 and to date in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13380/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the detailed data sought is not currently available. However, when an unemployed person applies and is approved for a Jobseeker’s payment, it is the aim of my Department to invite him or her to a Group Information Session, which will take place within 3 weeks of that approval date. Those aged under 25 years are then subject to their profile, scheduled for a one-to-one engagement with a Case Officer at the earliest possible date, typically within 2 – 3 weeks. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
492. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of young persons under 26 years of age who are on the €100, €144 and €188 rate, respectively, of jobseeker's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13401/16]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the table.
Persons under the age of 26 in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance by age and rate - 20 April 2016
|
Age |
Maximum Weekly Personal Rate of Payment |
Total by age |
||
|
€188 |
€144 |
€100 |
||
|
18 |
102 |
2,412 |
2,514 |
|
|
19 |
256 |
4,010 |
4,266 |
|
|
20 |
403 |
3,946 |
4,349 |
|
|
21 |
568 |
3,859 |
4,427 |
|
|
22 |
691 |
30 |
3,519 |
4,240 |
|
23 |
832 |
50 |
3,570 |
4,452 |
|
24 |
1,284 |
1,604 |
2,023 |
4,911 |
|
25 |
3,019 |
2,939 |
7 |
5,965 |
|
Total by Rate |
7,155 |
4,623 |
23,346 |
35,124 |
493. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated annual cost of increasing jobseeker's allowance payments to €188 per week for young persons under 26 years of age currently in receipt of a lower payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13402/16]
View answerThe cost of increasing the rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance paid to those under 26 years of age, to the maximum rate of €188 per week is estimated at €148.4 million in a full year. This measure involves increasing the €100 rate by €88 per week and the €144 rate by €44 per week. The cost also includes proportionate increases for any qualified adults.
The costing above is provisional and may be subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients. The costs outlined above are based on recipient data for 2016.
494. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of young persons under 26 years of age who are in receipt of jobseeker's benefit, jobseeker's allowance and-or signing for credits for six months or more; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13403/16]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the table.
Number of young persons in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance, Jobseeker’s Benefit and signing for credits for 6 months or more – 30 April 2016
|
Duration |
Jobseeker's Allowance |
Jobseeker's Benefit |
Credits Only |
|
6-12 months |
9,900 |
431 |
70 |
|
1-2 years |
7,099 |
51 |
35 |
|
2-3 years |
3,474 |
2 |
15 |
|
>3 years |
5,391 |
2 |
13 |
|
Total |
25,864 |
486 |
133 |
495. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an update on the review of jobseeker's allowance rates for young persons under 26 years of age announced in 2015; when he expects to receive this review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13404/16]
View answerReduced rates for younger jobseeker’s allowance recipients were first introduced in 2009. Budget 2014 further extended the reduced rates to recipients under 26 years of age. This is a targeted measure aimed at protecting young people from welfare dependency. To guard against the development of welfare dependency I believe that it is necessary to provide young jobseekers with a strong financial incentive to engage in education or training or to take up employment. If a young jobseeker in receipt of the reduced jobseeker’s allowance rate participates on an education or training programme they will receive a higher weekly payment of €160.
The Youth Guarantee sets a medium-term objective of ensuring that all young people receive an offer of employment within four months of becoming unemployed. There is now monthly engagement with all young jobseekers. Youth unemployment rose rapidly in the recession to over 30% in 2012. According to the Quarterly National Household Survey for Quarter 1 2016, youth unemployment continues to fall in line with the overall recovery and now stands at 16.9%.
The review of jobseekers allowance rates for young persons under 26 years of age is ongoing and I expect that this review will be completed later this year. I am committed to ensuring my Department identifies effective measures to incentivise and support young people in finding and securing sustainable jobs. The best way to do this is through engagement processes and by incentivising them to avail of educational and training opportunities, thereby enhancing their employment prospects.
496. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures his Department will take to increase uptake in the JobsPlus youth scheme in view of the fact that only 676 of the projected 1,500 young persons were supported by the scheme in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13405/16]
View answerThe 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. It provides a direct monthly financial incentive to employers in the form of a monthly grant paid over two years with two levels of grant payable. The level of payment depends on the length of time the person is unemployed.
As part of the introduction of an EU-wide Youth Guarantee, my Department reduced the JobsPlus eligibility threshold from 12 months to 4 months for those under 25 years of age. As a result, an employer will be paid €7,500 over a two year period if they recruit and retain in employment a person who is under 25 years of age and unemployed for at least 4 months in the previous 6 months. An amount of €10,000 will be paid if they are unemployed for at least 24 months.
JobsPlus is promoted through the Intreo offices nationwide, as well as through employer engagement fora and JobPath, the new approach to unemployed clients who need high support to find work. Overall, it is worth noting that the first quarter of this year has seen a 30% increase in unemployed persons registering to confirm their eligibility for JobsPlus, compared to the same period last year.
497. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of young persons in receipt of jobseeker's allowance and jobseeker's benefit signing on for credits on a county basis, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13406/16]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the table.
Number of young persons in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance, Jobseeker’s Benefit and Signing for Credits by County - 30 April 2016
|
County |
Jobseeker’s Allowance |
Jobseeker’s Benefit |
Credits Only |
|
Carlow |
700 |
35 |
2 |
|
Cavan |
688 |
34 |
1 |
|
Clare |
750 |
55 |
3 |
|
Cork |
2613 |
184 |
19 |
|
Donegal |
2029 |
108 |
5 |
|
Dublin |
8469 |
724 |
71 |
|
Galway |
1613 |
145 |
8 |
|
Kerry |
1121 |
81 |
5 |
|
Kildare |
1581 |
139 |
10 |
|
Kilkenny |
571 |
32 |
7 |
|
Laois |
902 |
45 |
5 |
|
Leitrim |
276 |
19 |
3 |
|
limerick |
1546 |
79 |
6 |
|
Longford |
448 |
25 |
3 |
|
Louth |
1652 |
89 |
4 |
|
Mayo |
954 |
85 |
7 |
|
Meath |
849 |
61 |
7 |
|
Monaghan |
394 |
20 |
3 |
|
Offaly |
1033 |
46 |
8 |
|
Roscommon |
324 |
22 |
3 |
|
Sligo |
465 |
35 |
2 |
|
Tipperary |
1703 |
96 |
22 |
|
Waterford |
1174 |
76 |
9 |
|
Westmeath |
1082 |
68 |
9 |
|
Wexford |
1770 |
119 |
9 |
|
Wicklow |
1033 |
67 |
13 |
498. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total expenditure on the Youth Guarantee in 2014 and 2015 and the actual or anticipated contribution of European Union funding in both years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13407/16]
View answerThe Government’s Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan (YGIP) identifies planned activity levels for young people on a range of programmes, and estimates the share of the budget for these that will therefore be spent on young people. Running costs of the Intreo employment and benefits service cannot reasonably be allocated across age groups – given that, for example, individual staff deal with both young and older unemployed clients in their day-to-day work. Therefore data on the actual total expenditure on the Youth Guarantee for the years 2014 and 2015 are not readily available.
The YGIP also details how the Youth Guarantee is to be funded through the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) and European Social Fund (ESF). The YEI is being delivered in Ireland as a dedicated priority axis within the ESF Operational Programme for Education, Inclusion and Learning (PEIL) 2014-2020, for which the Irish Managing Authority is the Department of Education and Skills.
I am informed that the total amount allocated to YEI under PEIL is €204,436,257. This allocation is comprised of €68,145,419 of specific EU funding for YEI, with matching amounts from Ireland’s ESF allocation and from Exchequer funding.
It is intended to claim funding in respect of expenditure on certain programmes which make up Ireland’s response to the EU Recommendation on a Youth Guarantee, including Youthreach, the JobsPlus Incentive Scheme and Momentum.
The overall range of such programmes is set out in the Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan, which estimated annual expenditure on the core programmes involved of approximately €336 million, with a further expenditure on other relevant programmes (Apprenticeship and PLC courses) of €192 million.
499. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the planned provision and participation by young persons on the various schemes and programmes under the Youth Guarantee in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13408/16]
View answerThe Government’s primary strategy to reduce youth unemployment is through policies to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth and the availability of productive employment for young people. This strategy has been succeeding; by Q1 2016 the level of employment is up by 159,000 from the lowest level reached in 2012.
Youth unemployment is estimated at 15.0% (27,900 persons) in May 2016 and has fallen from a peak of over 30% at the trough of the recession.
The Government recognises that as the recovery takes hold, there is a need for additional measures to ensure that as many as possible of the jobs created are taken up by jobseekers and young jobseekers in particular. This is the rationale behind the Government’s Pathways to Work strategy and the Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan (YGIP).
Within this framework, the Youth Guarantee sets a medium-term objective of ensuring that young people receive an offer of employment within four months of engaging with the Intreo Service. The main plank of the guarantee is assistance to young people in finding and securing sustainable jobs. In 2015 monthly engagement by case officers with all young unemployed was implemented. For those who do not find employment, additional offers are provided for. Most such offers (over 70%) are in further education or training. Others are in community-based employment programmes such as CE, Gateway and Tús, or through the JobsPlus employment subsidy for private employment.
Places on most of these programmes are demand led. While it was anticipated that take-up on the relevant programmes in 2014 might be as high as 28,000, actual take-up was 23,000. As the economy has improved, inflows into these programmes have decreased further, reflecting the drop in youth unemployment. There were just over 19,000 places taken up in 2015. The number of starters during the first three months of 2016 is detailed in the table. On the basis of the trend in the early part of the year, it is estimated that the full-year intake in 2016 will be somewhat below the 2015 figure of 19,000.
Quarter 1 2016 Starters (information available up to 27th May 2016)
|
Programme |
Number of starters up to Q1 2016 |
Note |
|
Youthreach |
n/a |
Youthreach (q1 figures will be available in June) |
|
Community Training Centres |
532 |
|
|
JobBridge |
370 |
|
|
Tús |
258 |
|
|
JobsPlus ( including JobsPlus Youth) |
35 |
|
|
Momentum |
118 |
|
|
BTEA (excl Momentum) |
62 |
Intake is mainly in September |
|
BTWEA |
46 |
|
|
VTOS |
n/a |
Enrolment begins in September |
|
Former FÁS/SOLAS |
1319 |
Based on Specific Skills Training, Traineeship, Bridging & Local Training Initiative starters. |
|
International Work Experience and Training |
0 |
|
|
Gateway |
3 |
|
|
Community Employment |
301 |
|
|
Total |
3,044 |
Excluding where figures are not available |
501. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 90 of 6 April 2016, which provided data on the number of young persons under 25 years of age who had completed personal progression plans under the Youth Guarantee programme, in view of the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 72 of 7 July 2015, which indicated different and much lower numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13410/16]
View answerI want to assure the Deputy that the most recent figures supplied to him in the Parliamentary Question Number 90 of 6 April 2016 are correct. Unfortunately, when generating figures in response to the earlier Parliamentary Question Number 72 of 7 July 2015, a miscalculation was made resulting in an incorrect figure being supplied. The provision of this inaccurate figure is regretted.
502. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of young persons under 25 years of age in receipt of disability allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13411/16]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the table.
Number of young persons under 25 in receipt of Disability Allowance - 30 April 2016
|
Customer Age |
Number of recipients of Disability Allowance |
|
15 |
38 |
|
16 |
1,267 |
|
17 |
1,556 |
|
18 |
1,577 |
|
19 |
1,628 |
|
20 |
1,616 |
|
21 |
1,518 |
|
22 |
1,633 |
|
23 |
1,731 |
|
24 |
1,781 |
|
Total |
14,345 |
