The primary goal of my Department’s activation services, including the JobPath service, is to move people from unemployment to full-time and sustainable employment.
The JobPath contracts provide that a person should not have to travel more than 60 minutes in normal circumstances to attend an appointment. Where a person has transport difficulties, the JobPath provider will assist the person with travel options including tailoring the service around their particular travel arrangements if necessary.
Both companies contracted to provide the JobPath service on behalf of my Department, Seetec and Turas Nua, have their own discretionary funds available to provide jobseekers engaged with their service with a range of supports based on an assessment of individual needs. This includes reasonable travel costs for the purposes of attending meetings with their personal advisor or attending interviews or other meetings associated with potential job opportunities. An immediate reimbursement is given on production of a ticket or other evidence of travel. On a case by case basis, the JobPath providers may also pay for items such as personal protective equipment, tools, work clothing, Private Security Authority (PSA) licences and may also arrange and pay for specific skills training if required by a jobseeker for a particular job opportunity.
The JobPath providers may also use their own funds on a discretionary basis to support JobPath participants in the early stages of employment if appropriate.
The JobPath providers engage with employers and employers' bodies in all areas of the country and across a range of employment sectors to establish vacancies and to understand the needs of employers in assisting job seekers to return to the workforce.
The current Government policy to reduce unemployment is twofold. First, through policies set out in the Action Plan for Jobs, to create an environment in which business can succeed and create jobs; and second, through Pathways to Work to ensure that as many of these new jobs and other vacancies that arise in our economy are filled by people taken from the Live Register.
I recently introduced a new work experience programme targeted specifically at young jobseekers who are long-term unemployed or who face significant barriers to gaining employment. The new Youth Employment Support Scheme (YESS) will provide young jobseekers with the opportunity to learn basic work and social skills in a supportive environment while on a work placement and at the same time improving their employment prospects. Participation on the scheme will be wholly voluntary and participants will receive an allowance of €229.20 per week for the duration of their placement.
Reflecting the impact of government policy, and the overall improvement in the labour market:
- the monthly unemployment rate has dropped consistently over the past year and has now fallen to 5.3%, as of October 2018. This means that there are now about 29,000 fewer people out of work in Ireland compared to October 2017;
- Youth unemployment continues to fall with a rate of 12% in October 2018 estimated by CSO, down from a peak rate of almost 32% in 2012. The youth unemployment rate now lies significantly below the EU-28 average rate of 15.8%;
- Latest available data shows that the long-term unemployment rate has fallen from a peak of 9.5% in 2012 to 2.0% in Q2 2018. The actual number of people out of work for a year or more has fallen by more than three-quarters, from 215,000 in early 2012 to just under 50,000 now. Long-term unemployment can be expected to fall further this year in line with the continuing forecast fall in overall unemployment. Already, we have exceeded our target to bring long-term unemployment below 2.5% in accordance with Pathways to Work targets for 2020.
The current policy approach, and continuing economic recovery, will support further reductions in unemployment and add to the substantial improvements that have already been seen over the last few years.
Should the Deputy be aware of a specific case of any jobseeker engaged with the JobPath service who due to their home address find themselves unable to travel to a potential employment opportunity or have difficulty in attending JobPath sessions, I would invite the Deputy to contact my Department in relation to this case and officials in my Department will examine the case.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
