Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 September 2016
751. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of participants in the JobPath scheme who have been placed in permanent employment by each of the operators of the scheme, namely, Turas Nua and Seetec, since the scheme was rolled out. [25616/16]
View answer752. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the total amount paid in job sustainment fees to the operators of the JobPath scheme since it was rolled out, namely, Turas Nua and Seetec; and if he will provide these amounts paid to each operator separately. [25617/16]
View answer753. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the total amount paid in registration fees to the operators of the JobPath scheme, namely, Turas Nua and Seetec, since the scheme was rolled out; and if he will provide the amounts separately for each operator. [25619/16]
View answer754. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of persons who have been referred to the JobPath scheme since it was introduced. [25620/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 751 to 754, inclusive, together.
As the Deputy will be aware, JobPath is an employment activation service that supports people who are long-term unemployed and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed to secure and sustain paid employment.
Participants on JobPath receive intensive individual support to help them tackle barriers to employment and to assist them in finding jobs. Each person is assigned to a personal adviser who assesses a person’s skills, experience, challenges and work goals. The personal adviser works with the jobseeker to agree a personal progression plan that includes a schedule of activities, training/development and job focused targets. Participants receive the service for a period of 12 months (which can be extended by up to six months to facilitate the jobseeker completing training programmes) or until such time as they find employment whichever is the soonest. If the participant secures employment during this period they will continue to receive support for at least three months and up to twelve months while in employment.
Some 57,000 jobseekers have been referred to JobPath to date. Only a small number of them have completed their engagement with the service so far. It is thus too soon to generate meaningful performance statistics. Initial JobPath performance statistics will be published by the end of the year.
It is not intended to publish the individual payments to the JobPath companies as these are commercially sensitive and to do so would place the State at a disadvantage both in terms of the contracts now in place and any future procurement that may be undertaken.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the deputy.
