I propose to take Questions Nos. 134 and 135 together.
JobPath is a new approach to employment activation that supports people who are long-term unemployed and those most distant from the labour market to secure and sustain full-time paid employment. The EmployAbility Service is an employment and recruitment service to assist people with a disability to secure and maintain a job in the open labour market.
Only clients in receipt of a jobseeker payment are referred to JobPath. By contrast most clients assisted by the EmployAbility Service are people with disabilities on long term disability payments such as disability allowance or invalidity pension. It is unlikely therefore that many JobPath clients will have recourse to the EmployAbility service.
JobPath staff receive awareness training in relation to a range of conditions, including mental health and addictions. JobPath providers seek to direct clients to the most appropriate service to best support their needs and to complement the JobPath service. Where it transpires that a person on JobPath requires additional supports that are not available on JobPath but such supports are available under the EmployAbility Service then the JobPath provider will contact the Department so arrangements may be made for the person to avail of the EmployAbility Service either in addition, or as an alternative, to the JobPath service.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
