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Employment Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 September 2021

Wednesday, 22 September 2021

Questions (124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129)

Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

124. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount the operation of JobPath has cost in each of the years 2016 to 2020, in tabular form; if there has been an analysis of its efficacy, namely results and the number of persons successfully re-entering the workforce; and if a review of the programme has been considered in view of these findings. [45625/21]

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Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

125. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the criteria in place for determining eligibility to JobPath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45628/21]

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Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

126. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the details of the decision-making process that takes place to determine if a person repeats the JobPath process or if they return to jobseeker's allowance. [45629/21]

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Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

127. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the actions taken regarding the unspent funding that does not get allocated to applicants via the JobPath scheme; if it is returned to her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45630/21]

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Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

128. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the oversight systems in place to evaluate the performance of the JobPath; if it has annual figures of the proportion of applicants versus those who successfully regain employment or any other key performance indicator analysis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45631/21]

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Violet-Anne Wynne

Question:

129. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the upper limit of financial support for training available to a person on JobPath versus a person on social welfare; if she will provide a comparative analysis and justification of these figures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45632/21]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 124 to 129, inclusive, together.

JobPath provides employment assistance and advice to the long-term unemployed on behalf of my Department. JobPath service providers are paid based on performance and, except for the initial registration fee, payments are made only when a client has achieved sustained employment that is verified by the Department and therefore, due to the payment model, there are no unspent funds. The initial set-up costs and the day to day running costs are borne by the service providers.

The final overall cost of JobPath will be determined by the number of people who engage with the service and the number who secure sustainable jobs. The roll out of JobPath began in 2015 and the yearly expenditure 2016 - 2020 is as set out in the table below. It should be noted that this is gross expenditure and does not consider the savings made in welfare payments for those who secured sustained employment.

Between July 2015 and the end of July 2021 some 312,966 jobseekers had commenced their engagement period with the JobPath service and in the same period, 70,740 jobseekers had commenced employment during their engagement period with JobPath.

See Table 2 for annual breakdown.

The OECD worked with my Department to measure the effectiveness of JobPath and the econometric review of JobPath, published by my Department in 2019, noted that in 2018 the weekly employment earnings of people who secured employment with the JobPath service are 17% higher than the weekly employment earnings of people who secured employment without the support of JobPath. Taken with the 26% improvement in employment outcomes in the same period, it means the overall positive employment/earnings impact is 37% in 2018 for those who are supported by the JobPath service. These findings indicate that jobseekers who engage with JobPath are more likely to get a positive employment outcome than those jobseekers who aren't supported by the service.

Additionally, the Comptroller and Auditor General produced a detailed report examining how the service was governed and found that the JobPath service was delivering in accordance with all aspects of the contract with my Department.

All jobseekers on the Live Register must be capable of; available for and actively seeking full time employment, they are also required to engage with the Department’s employment services. The Social Welfare (Consolidated) Act 2005, as amended, specifies that participation is mandatory. Therefore, jobseekers in receipt of a jobseeker’s payment are required to engage with the Department’s employment services whether the service is provided internally by an Intreo case officer or, externally by any of the Department’s contracted service providers.

All jobseekers over one year on the Live Register are eligible for selection to one of the contracted public employment services, including the JobPath employment service. Selection for referral to the JobPath employment service is by means of random selection. Protocols for referral to JobPath currently preclude the selection of anyone who has already completed 2 x 52 weeks on the JobPath programme or any jobseeker who completed the programme within the previous 4 months. A person who has completed a year with the JobPath service; continues to meet the criteria for long term unemployment and if they are not engaged in other employment supports and services becomes eligible for selection for a second period of engagement with the JobPath service after 4 months.

JobPath providers have their own discretionary funds available to pay for training or other interventions; the decision to approve a request for funding is at the discretion of the JobPath provider. They will consider the duration, cost and relevance to the customer’s job goal preferences. The prevalence of employment opportunities in the sector will also be considered along with the likelihood that the customer secures full-time employment upon completion of the course.

Several courses are provided in-house while others are provided by specialist training providers including the Education and Training Boards (ETBs). There are no barriers to any participants pursuing training, including further education and training courses, provided they are relevant to their agreed personal progression plan.

All persons referred to the JobPath service are in receipt of a social welfare payment (Jobseeker’s payment) and therefore a comparative analysis between those engaged with JobPath and those in receipt of other social welfare payments is not available. My Department provides a wide range of educational and training supports to customers. Should the Deputy require additional and specific information on these supports I would be happy to provide it.

Table 1 : JobPath Expenditure 2016-2020

Year

Total Expenditure €

2016

€ 25.2m

2017

€ 57.4m

2018

€ 71.7m

2019

€ 58.6m

2020

€ 36.2m

Total Cost 2016-2020

€249.1m

Table 2 : Annual breakdown of referral numbers and job starts

referral numbers and job starts

Question No. 125 answered with Question No. 124.
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