Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 April 2022
1051. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to ensure all persons employed through the job initiative scheme are in receipt of a living wage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20373/22]
View answer1052. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated annual cost of ensuring all persons employed through the job initiative scheme are in receipt of a living wage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20374/22]
View answer1071. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to compensate participants on the job initiative scheme for losses in their income over recent years as has been done in relation to pay restoration in the Civil Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20687/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1051, 1052 and 1071 together.
Job Initiative (JI) is an employment support scheme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities. The Budget for 2022 is just over €11.8 million.
JI participants work on a fulltime basis of 39 hours per week. Recruitment onto the scheme ceased from November 2004. At the end of March 2022, there were 469 JI participants employed by managing agents.
Participants are employed and paid weekly by a JI managing agent. The Department funds wages for team leaders and participants along with a grant to contribute towards the running costs of the scheme in respect of administration, materials, overheads, training and development. The JI rate for participants has increased from €420 in 2016 to €461 in 2022. The current rate for JI participants is for 39 hours per week and equates to €11.82 per hour, which is above the current minimum wage of €10.50 per hour. In addition, JI participants can also receive other Social Welfare benefits such as the annual Christmas Bonus.
The Low Pay Commission makes recommendations to the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, on a fair and sustainable minimum wage. In 2021, the Low Pay Commission was requested to examine the Programme for Government commitment to progress to a living wage over the lifetime of the Government and to make recommendations on the best approach.
The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment recently received the Low Pay Commission’s report and recommendations on the progression to a living wage and is currently reviewing the Commission’s recommendations. Therefore, at this stage it is not possible to provide an estimate of the cost of moving any specific group of workers, such as JI participants, to a living wage.
The Government is acutely aware of the increase in consumer prices in recent months, especially the increase in fuel and other energy prices. To help mitigate the effects of these rising costs, the Government have recently introduced additional expenditure measures to a total of €505 million.
The Department acknowledges the valuable and dedicated service that JI team leaders and JI participants provide in delivering local based community services.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputies.
