JobsPlus Scheme

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018

Tuesday, 24 July 2018

Ceisteanna (2585)

Brendan Howlin

Ceist:

2585. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of places budgeted for JobsPlus; the projected spend for 2018; the number of persons on the JobsPlus scheme in 2017; the number to date in 2018; the projected number by the end of 2018; the number of persons under each qualifying criteria; the number of those under 50 years of age on the €7,500 rate and €10,000 rate, respectively, if it is following unemployment of 12, 24 or 36 months; the number of persons over 50 years of age on the 12 month €10,000 rate; the number of those under 25 years of age on the four month €7,500 rate in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35242/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection

JobsPlus provides a direct monthly financial incentive to employers who recruit employees who are long-term on the live register and transitioning into employment. It provides employers with two levels of payment: €7,500 and €10,000. There is currently sanction for a maximum of 6,000 employments to be supported through JobsPlus, with a projected expenditure estimate of €30 million for 2018.

A total of 6,460 individual employees have been supported in unique employments in 2018 to date and it is expected that this number will increase to some 9,000 by the end of the year. A breakdown of the current employees in the categories as requested by the Deputy is provided in the tabular statement.

A total of 8,960 individual employees were supported in unique employments through the JobsPlus scheme in 2017.

My Department continues to engage with employers in the promotion of this scheme.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

JobsPlus employee numbers per category as requested by the Deputy - 20 July 2018

Rate of grant	Under 25, after 4 months unemployment	Under 50, after 12 months unemployment	Under 50, 24 months unemployment	Under 50, 36 months unemployment	Over 50 after 12 months unemployment
€7,500	314	1,214	-	-	-
€10,000	-	-	2,327	441	151

Question No. 2586 answered with Question No. 2531.