Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 July 2020
839. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her Department has had engagement with JobPath providers since the start of the Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020. [20077/20]
View answerMy officials hold regular meetings with both JobPath contractors as part of the normal contract management process. Since the onset of the Covid-19 restrictions these meetings have taken place via conference calls.
Referrals to all activation services, including those provided by the JobPath providers, were suspended in March in accordance with public health guidelines. My Department has continued to liaise with the JobPath providers throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and they have continued to engage with their existing clients by phone, email and other electronic means where possible.
In parallel with the Intreo service, our contracted public employment services, including JobPath and the Local Employment Services, resumed activation for new referrals in June. My officials were in contact with the various contracted employment services as appropriate to ensure they were aware of and implementing the appropriate guidelines for resuming their services.
It is vital to continue to engage with the long term unemployed and other cohorts to ensure they do not become further distant from the labour market. This will be undertaken with due regard to public health requirements.
