Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 July 2012
185 Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Social Protection in view of the high unemployment rates in County Waterford, the action she will take to tackle same; if she will consider fast tracking the roll out of the pathways to work in County Waterford and the south east; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35909/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is establishing a new National Employment and Entitlements Service, as provided for in the Programme for Government, which will integrate employment and benefit payment services within the Department. This is a key element of the Government's Pathways to Work Strategy. I would like to stress that the Pathways to Work policy is not a policy working in isolation from other actions. The Government launched its Action Plan for Jobs with a view to creating a net additional 100,000 jobs over the next five years. Pathways to Work is a complementary policy designed to support people currently on the live register to access those jobs.
The roll-out of NEES offices has always been envisaged as a multi-annual programme of change within my Department in relation to how the Department provides its services. The full schedule for the roll-out of NEES offices has not been finalised but, mindful of the unemployment rate in the county, Waterford will be given full consideration for inclusion in the Programme at the earliest possible date.
