Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 December 2020
409. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection if audits are conducted annually for each EmployAbility service; if an audit has been conducted for each service annually for each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41878/20]
View answer410. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost per placement for each jobseeker successfully placed in employment by the EmployAbility service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41879/20]
View answer411. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the breakdown of funding for each EmployAbility service; and the funding of the programme nationally. [41880/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 409 to 411, inclusive, together.
EmployAbility Services, as contracted by my Department, provide support to people with disabilities to secure and maintain paid employment in the open labour market leading to independence and career progression.
My Department continuously monitors each service locally using a system of monthly control checks covering the financial and performance elements of the contract. In addition, the contractor submits audited accounts each year and the annual contract process includes an evaluation of the financial and operational performance of the service in advance of awarding a new contract.
Employability Service providers are paid on a 'costs met' basis for service provision rather than on performance outcomes. The Department cannot accurately quantify a cost per placement but on average, the indicative cost of customer engagement is approx. €2,800 per client. Engagement with the Employability Service can last up to 18 months and customers can exit the service at any point along the way.
The EmployAbility Service is delivered under a contract arrangement with individual service providers on behalf of my Department. There are currently 24 EmployAbility contracts in place and the combined value of the contracts entered into is €9.9m in 2020. The costs of the individual contracts relates to the contracted capacity of each service and the costs of same.
The budget for each service provider is stipulated in the contract. The amount involved, however, having been separately negotiated with each contractor, is commercially sensitive. I can advise the Deputy that the average contract value is approximately €420,000 per annum.
I hope this clarifies the matters for the Deputy.
