My Department provides a range of activation supports and programmes catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. This includes programmes such as Community Employment (CE) and Rural Social Scheme (RSS).
These schemes help to break the cycle of unemployment and improve a person’s chances of returning to the labour market. My Department is also conscious of the valuable contribution the schemes are making in the provision of services to individuals and communities across Ireland.
CE Sponsors advertise CE vacancies free-of-charge on the Department's JobsIreland website, www.jobsireland.ie. Posting vacancies is a relatively simple process and a dedicated video tutorial is available on the site to assist sponsors. Anyone requiring further assistance can contact my Department’s National Contact Centre by phone at Lo Call 1890 800 024 or (01) 248 1398, or by email at jobsireland@welfare.ie. Further enhancements will be made to the way in which CE vacancies are displayed on the site in the coming months.
Jobseekers can view CE vacancies online. Eligible candidates are referred to sponsors by case officers in the local Intreo Centres. My Department continues to refer candidates so I would advise sponsors who may be experiencing particular recruitment difficulties to contact their local DSP Intreo office with any concerns they may have in that regard.
Eligibility for participation on the RSS is limited to those in receipt of certain specified social welfare payments and all participants must also be actively engaged in farming or fishing.
The JobPath service is provided for jobseekers only. The period of engagement with JobPath for any individual is typically 52 weeks. During that time, they receive intensive individual support to help them overcome barriers to employment and are also provided with a range of training and development supports, including online modules, career advice, CV preparation and interview skills. During the year, if a person is placed into a job they will continue to receive support for at least three months and up to an additional twelve months while in employment.
In general - and JobPath is no exception - job-seekers are not allowed to participate in two employment activation supports at the same time. Given the need to manage the allocation of places effectively, my Department does not facilitate or encourage jobseekers to leave one scheme early in order to take up a place on another scheme. Participation in other schemes remains an option once a person completes their JobPath engagement.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
