Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 September 2012
875. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection with regard to Tús - community work placement initiative, the number of letters of invitation that have been issued to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39270/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra876. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the percentage of recipients that responded positively to the letters of invitation to participate in the Tús scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39271/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra877. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the percentage that gave good cause for non-participation in Tús - community work placement initiative; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39272/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra878. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will clarify what constitutes good cause as per letter of invitation for not attending the interview to take part in Tús; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39273/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra879. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients that did not reply to the letter of invitation to participate in Tús - community work placement initiative; and of these, the number that signed-off jobseeker's payment; and, the number that have been referred on to her Department for follow-up action. [39274/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra880. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection of those who have completed Tús – community work placement initiative, the percentage that entered employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39275/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 875 to 880, inclusive, together.
Tús is a work placement initiative focussed on those people on the live register and receiving a job seekers payment for over a year. Selection is by a randomised process undertaken by my Department. The number of persons to be contacted is agreed at a local level between officials and staff of the implementation body based on the available work placements and future vacancies. Those agreeing to participate have their details forwarded to one of the 51 implementation bodies contracted to deliver Tús locally. Where a person responds and states that s/he is not willing to participate, the local office will examine the reasons, if any, outlined and determine whether the explanations provided are reasonable and provide grounds for a person to be excused or moved to a more appropriate social protection payment. Where information is not forthcoming or the person is uncooperative, a disqualification for failing or neglecting to avail of a reasonable opportunity of obtaining suitable employment can be applied as set out in Section 147(4)(d) of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005.
In making his or her decision, a Department official must have regard to the personal and family circumstances of the person. A decision to disqualify can arise where the person invited does not respond, responds negatively or does not attend an interview without good cause. These reasons are wide ranging but mostly relate to non-delivery of invitation due to change of address, absence from the address, inability to work due to physical or mental illness, under medical care/injured, hospitalisation, attendance at a recognised training and/or educational course, engaged in another work placement, imminent birth of a child, plans to emigrate and caring obligations.
My Department is in the process of collating data on the first 12 months of the operation of Tús and is not yet in a position to provide precise numbers until this process is completed and the data verified.
