Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 February 2022
555. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the annual value of the service level agreement between her Department and an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5027/22]
View answer556. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the services that an organisation (details supplied) provide under the service level agreement between it and her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5028/22]
View answer557. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection the current timeframe for the service level agreement between her Department and an organisation (details supplied); when the agreement is due for renewal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5029/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 555 to 557, inclusive, together.
Turas Nua is one of two companies contracted to provide the JobPath employment assistance and advisory service on behalf of my Department. The purpose of the service is to provide assistance and advice to jobseekers who are long-term unemployed. Providers are paid based on performance and except for the initial registration fee, payments are only made when a client has achieved sustained employment that is verified by my Department.
The service works with the client to identify and provide intensive support to overcome barriers to employment. Each person is assigned a personal advisor who assesses their skills, experience, challenges and work goals and agrees a “personal progression plan” that includes a schedule of activities, actions and job focused targets. Participants are provided with a range of development supports and may also be referred for further education and training opportunities.
The period of engagement with the service is 52 weeks, and during that time, the jobseeker avails of intensive support from a dedicated Personal Advisor (PA) and meets their advisor at least once every 20 days. If the jobseeker is successful in finding employment, the support of the PA continues for the remaining duration of the person’s engagement with the service and for a period of at least six and possibly up to twelve months thereafter.
If the jobseeker obtains employment but it is not sustained, engagement with the PA will resume. The employment experience will be reviewed to build on progress, and to identify measures to sustain employment. This may entail referral to training, education or other interventions appropriate to sustaining employment.
The overall performance of the contractors in assisting persons in gaining and sustaining employment is under continual review. My Department meets regularly with the contractors to review all aspects of the contract delivery including performance.
The current JobPath contracts were extended until the end of 2021. In December, in light of the continuing adverse impacts of Covid-19 and on foot of extending the period of consultation with the relevant stakeholders, it was agreed to extend all contracted employment services for the long term unemployed - the Local Employment Services, the Job Clubs (in Phase 2 areas) and JobPath - for a further twenty six weeks until the end of June 2022. This measure was taken in order to ensure that the public employment service has sufficient capacity to support those impacted by the pandemic with access to employment services.
While JobPath referrals will terminate at the end of June, there will be a run-off period to enable existing clients to complete their engagement with the service.
It is not intended to publish the individual payments to the JobPath companies as these are commercially sensitive and to do so would place the State at a disadvantage both in terms of the contracts currently in place and in future procurement processes.
The total of fees paid under the JobPath programme to date is €287 million.
2015 - €1.2m;
2016 - €25.2m;
2017 - €57.4m;
2018 - €71.7m
2019 - €58.6m
2020 - €36.2m
2021 - €34m
2022 - €2.7m (to date)
Total - €287m
Please note this is gross expenditure and does not take into account the savings made in welfare payments for those who secured sustained employment.
