Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 February 2018
286. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a company (details supplied) can conduct and issue an exit review in a client's absence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6152/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra293. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the way in which a JobPath provider obtains a level of information on a person (details supplied); her views on whether it is appropriate for such information to be stored on a JobPath provider's database; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6261/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 286 and 293 together.
The JobPath service is one of a range of activation supports provided by my Department to assist long-term unemployed jobseekers to secure and sustain full-time paid employment. Participants spend 52 weeks with the service, during which time they receive intensive individual support to help them address barriers to employment and to assist them to find a full-time job. One of the first tasks which a jobseeker must complete after referral to one of the activation services, including JobPath, is to agree and sign a personal progression plan (PPP).
The PPP includes an agreed schedule of job-focused activities, actions and targets personalised to take account of the person's specific qualifications and employment preferences. The contents of the PPP is based on the information provided by the jobseeker to their personal advisor, the PPP will in all probability change during the person's engagement with the service as they develop new skills or experience to broaden their employment options. At the end of 52 weeks active engagement with JobPath where the jobseeker has not found full time employment, the JobPath provider is required to schedule a final review meeting for the purpose of completing a final PPP, also known as an Exit Report.
The Exit Report will include all progress made by the jobseeker during their time with the JobPath service, such as training or employment, it will also include any identified barriers to finding work. The jobseeker will be advised at this meeting that a copy of their Exit Report will be forwarded to my Department for information and an Officer of my Department will be in contact with them to provide follow up activation support.
Where a client does not attend this scheduled appointment for any reason, the Exit Report must still be completed and updated based on the information available and forwarded to the Department as set out above.
JobPath providers are contractually required to register with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner. Data protection legislation requires that personal data shall be kept only for one or more specified and lawful purposes and that personal data shall be used and disclosed only in ways compatible with these purposes. The legislation also requires that the data should be adequate, relevant and not excessive. All Contracts in place are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Ireland and the courts of Ireland have exclusive jurisdiction over these contracts.
If the Deputy has concerns regarding a specific case she can provide the person’s details to my Department for further investigation.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
