Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 November 2021
403. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Social Protection the initiatives in pathways to work available to parents who are not on jobseeker’s allowance and who exited the workforce to care for their children for less than five years and more than five years; if they are eligible for access to schemes, allowances or initiatives (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56085/21]
View answerUnder Pathways to Work 2021-2025, the Government committed to the expansion of Intreo’s Public Employment Service capacity to ensure that all those who wish to enter or re-enter the labour force have the necessary support to help them make the transition to work. In particular, the Pathways to Work strategy seeks to increase labour market participation among groups that would not traditionally be considered as ‘unemployed’. This includes lone parents, people with disabilities and members of minority ethnic groups, as well as those people who may have taken time out of the workforce and would now like to return.
Parents, who are not on Jobseeker’s Allowance and who exited the workforce to care for their children, can access a number of the schemes, allowances and initiatives outlined in the Pathways to Work strategy, subject to meeting the relevant eligibility criteria.
For example, access to the new Work Placement Experience Programme (WPEP) is not limited to those on Jobseeker payments, but rather is also open to those on a range of other qualifying social welfare payments, including the One-Parent Family payment, Disability Allowance and Blind Pension. Furthermore, individuals in receipt of these payments can automatically qualify for WPEP without the required qualifying timeframe. The WPEP aims to provide those looking to get back into work, or who have never had a job or who have lost their employment, with an opportunity to gain meaningful work experience in a supportive environment with a view to increasing their employment prospects.
The Training Support Grant (TSG), which is designed to fund quick access to short-term training that can support individual jobseekers seeking employment (including self-employment ) to access work opportunities, is also open to those on other qualifying social welfare payments, such as One-Parent Family payment and Carer’s Allowance. It is also open to those who are qualified adults on a Jobseeker’s payment and are seeking employment. The grant can be provided when an Intreo Case Officer or Job Coach has identified the immediate skills gap that represents an obstacle to the person taking up a job offer.
Both the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) and Back to Work Enterprise Allowances (BTWEA) are also open to those on other qualifying social welfare payments, apart from Jobseeker’s, subject to meeting other eligibility criteria and timeframes.
Similarly, Community Employment Programmes, which are designed to help people who are long-term unemployed (or otherwise disadvantaged) get back into work by offering part-time and temporary placements in jobs based within local communities, are also available to those on a number of other qualifying social welfare payments apart from Jobseeker payments, including One-Parent Family Payment among others. In general, an individual must also be getting one of these qualifying payments for at least 12 months to be eligible.
Alternatively, if a parent who previously exited the labour force is not in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment and now wishes to return (and/or benefit from the supports listed above), they can do so by applying for a jobseeker’s payment. By demonstrating their underlying eligibility for a jobseeker’s payment at an Intreo Office or online at MyWelfare.ie., they will qualify for a range of employment services and supports. It is important to note however, that some schemes offered by my Department – such as the WPEP – require an individual to have received a minimum number of qualifying payments before becoming eligible.
Recognising the additional difficulties people with disabilities experience in securing and maintaining employment in the open labour market, my Department contracts for the provision of the EmployAbility Service to help address these challenges. Individuals, including parents returning to the work force, wishing to access the EmployAbility Service must be referred by Intreo or the Local Employment Service (LES). The individual does not have to be in receipt of a disability or illness payment to access the service. The service is open to people with disabilities including those recovering from injury or illness, that are ‘job ready’ and need the support of an EmployAbility Job Coach to get a job in the open labour market.
With regards to training and further education supports, Case Officers within Intreo can refer individuals in receipt of a qualifying payment to these opportunities. Some courses offered by the further education and training sector, including Education and Training Boards (ETBs) , may also be available to those without a qualifying payment but further details on that would be more appropriately directed to my colleague Simon Harris, T.D., Minister of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
Finally, I would like to highlight the commitments and supports set out in the Pathways to Work strategy that are specifically focused on increasing labour market participation, including, but not limited to, developing and implementing a new ‘Returners’ programme. This 'Returners' programme will aim to encourage and support people who left the workforce, and have been outside of the workforce for some time, to take up employment. It is envisaged that the programmes will be of particular benefit to older workers, carers and parents, hoping to re-join the labour market. These programmes, which will be developed jointly by my Department and the Department for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, are currently scheduled to begin from Q1 2023.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
