JobPath Implementation

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 May 2016

Tuesday, 24 May 2016

Ceisteanna (331)

Jim Daly

Ceist:

331. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection to assure those in receipt of a payment under the jobseeker's allowance scheme or any other payment who are eligible for supported employment due to illness, injury, mental ill health or disability that they will continue to have access to the additional support they need, by way of the employability services, to return to the labour force regardless of their referral to and while working with JobPath providers such as Turas Nua and Seetec; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11799/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

JobPath is a new approach to employment activation that supports people who are long-term unemployed and those most distant from the labour market to secure and sustain full-time paid employment. The EmployAbility Service is an employment and recruitment service to assist people with a disability to secure and maintain a job in the open labour market.

Only clients in receipt of a jobseeker payment are referred to JobPath. By contrast most clients assisted by EmployAbility are people with disabilities on long term disability payments such as Disability Allowance or Invalidity Pension. It is unlikely therefore that many JobPath clients will have recourse to the EmployAbility service.

Nevertheless, where it transpires that a Jobseeker’s Allowance recipient on JobPath requires additional supports that are not available on JobPath but such supports are available under the EmployAbility Service then arrangements may be made for the person to avail of the EmployAbility Service either in addition, or as an alternative to the JobPath service.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.