Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2021
434. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if the suspension of the waiting time for recruiting a person aged under 30 years of age onto JobsPlus will continue during 2022; and if so, the conditions of eligibility for different options that will apply. [47537/21]
View answerJobsPlus is a subsidy paid to employers who recruit long-term unemployed people for new positions in their workplace. Employers can avail of JobsPlus when filling new positions or positions that arise as a consequence of natural turnover and receive a subsidy of €7,500 or €10,000 per employee. The value of the grant is dependent on the age of the new employee and their duration of unemployment, over a two-year period of employment.
Under the Government’s Pathways to Work 2021 – 2025 strategy, my Department is committed to ensuring all services delivered by Intreo Centres nationally have to work not just for jobseekers but also for employers. Recruitment subsidies such as JobsPlus reduce the risk of recruitment for employers as we move through the final phases of the pandemic.
In last year’s July Jobs Stimulus, the capacity of JobsPlus was increased. The qualification criteria for those under 30 years was amended, meaning they can now avail of the support after 4 months, having previously been 12 months. This amendment is a permanent policy change to the scheme and will therefore remain in place during 2022.
Time spent in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment can be counted for the purposes of eligibility for unemployed individuals.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
