Employment Schemes

Thursday, 30 September 2021

Questions (274, 278)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

274. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons referred to Tús by county in 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, in tabular form. [47297/21]

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278. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if policies are in place for referrals to Tús to take into account the address of the person and that they are given a place on Tús in the county in which they reside rather than being referred to a scheme in a neighbouring county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47301/21]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 274 and 278 together.

Tús is a targeted activation measure specifically designed and delivered to jobseekers who are on the live register and have been unemployed for twelve months or more. Tús is delivered locally by a network of 48 local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta, known as implementing bodies (IBs). Eligible jobseekers can commence on Tús following selection and referral, or assisted self-referral, to the IB that delivers Tús in their area. The IB then matches the participant to available Tús placement opportunities in their locality.

A key element of Tús is the placement of participants in structured employment placements within their local community to break the cycle of unemployment. As the objective is to provide opportunities to participants for work within their local communities, the candidates address is, as far as possible, taken into account when referrals and placements are being arranged.

Eligible jobseekers are randomly selected for Tús participation and referred to the IB that delivers Tús in their area. The IB to which a jobseeker is ordinarily referred is determined by the address that is recorded for them. However, a jobseeker may choose to refer themselves through the assisted self-referral process to a different IB in an alternative location or county to the one in which they reside.

The following table provides a breakdown of the number of people who commenced on Tús by their county of residence in the years 2018, 2019, 2020 and up to the end of September, 2021.

Throughout 2018 and 2019, continued improvements in the labour market led to a corresponding fall in the number of people on the live register, and decrease in the number of jobseekers that were long-term unemployed and eligible for participation on Tús.

Since 2020, the emergence of Covid-19 and the introduction of public health restrictions also impacted on the number of jobseekers that commenced Tús.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

County	2018	2019	2020	2021
Carlow	132	128	82	20
Cavan	120	95	70	40
Clare	152	123	58	51
Cork	612	506	276	159
Donegal	361	359	228	99
Dublin	1391	1214	504	287
Galway	432	361	236	81
Kerry	243	173	68	17
Kildare	206	205	83	61
Kilkenny	98	73	50	41
Laois	123	109	57	34
Leitrim	91	59	43	14
Limerick	273	202	70	41
Longford	108	90	63	13
Louth	201	197	127	39
Mayo	293	281	220	97
Meath	259	230	210	64
Monaghan	100	104	57	37
Offaly	160	160	85	37
Roscommon	87	91	66	29
Sligo	157	130	78	21
Tipperary	368	314	221	133
Waterford	303	281	202	60
Westmeath	127	80	49	31
Wexford	347	291	237	123
Wicklow	275	243	107	65
Total	7,019	6,099	3,547	1,694