Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 April 2017
202. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) cannot obtain a grant to enable a return to the workplace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18435/17]
View answerAs 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. Two companies, Seetec and Turas Nua, have been contracted to deliver the service.
While engaging with the JobPath service, participants are provided with a range of supports based on an assessment of individual needs. The JobPath providers will arrange and pay for specific skills training if required by a jobseeker for particular types of work. Both JobPath companies have their own discretionary funds available to pay for these training courses.
For the same reason, the Training Support Grant (TSG) provided by the Department is designed to fund quick access to short-term training where this cannot be provided by a state provider within a reasonable time or where a intervention is identified that can support individual jobseekers to access work opportunities.
While jobseekers with JobPath do not have access to the TSG, the JobPath companies will on a case by case basis provide similar funding
I am advised that the person concerned was given the opportunity to access the TSG in August 2016 for a specific training need; he did not pursue the grant at that time and was referred to JobPath in November 2016.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
