Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 April 2018
1459. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to introduce measures that will allow for Tús participants working with community groups extend their placements in circumstances in which the community organisation is keen to retain their services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16329/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, my Department provides a range of activation supports catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. These supports include employment schemes such as Tús. Tús provides part-time temporary work in local communities, as a stepping stone back to employment. The objective of the scheme is to break the cycle of unemployment and maintain work readiness, thereby improving a person’s opportunities in returning to the labour market.
All participants and community groups are aware of the time limits for participation on these schemes. The twelve month duration of the Tús contract is set to reflect a number of inter-related elements. These include the need to ensure the benefit of participation on a work scheme is available to the widest possible number of jobseekers and that weaknesses identified in other work programmes with longer duration placements are not replicated in Tús. Accordingly, there are currently no plans to extend the Tús scheme to longer than 12 months duration.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
