Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 October 2020
173. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the terms and conditions which will apply to the Work Experience Programme which was announced as part of the July Stimulus; the revised terms of the JobsPlus scheme outlined under the July Stimulus; and if a time limit has been set for the scheme. [29196/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe July Jobs Stimulus included commitments to €200m investment in training, education, skill development, work placement schemes, recruitment subsidies and jobs search and assistance measures aimed to help those who have lost their jobs find a new one, retrain or develop new skills, in particular for emerging growth sectors. Included in this is provision for a funded Work Placement Scheme to provide work experience for jobseekers who have been unemployed for more than six months regardless of age. A particular objective is to provide a mechanism for those with recent work experience or with sector specific skills to pivot into new employment/jobs through additional learning with new and relevant work experience.
Work is ongoing within my Department on finalising the detailed provisions of the programme. It is intended that this the new programme will be open to all jobseekers who have unemployed for six months or more, on the live register. Time spent in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment will be counted for the purposes of this eligibility. The measure agreed under the stimulus package allows for 10,000 placements to be provided for six months duration. The employment will be for 30 hours per week with a commitment by the employer to provide job mentoring and training.
In the July Jobs Stimulus, the ceiling on JobsPlus places was increased with effect from 1st August 2020. It will now benefit 8,000 jobseekers who are returning to work. The JobsPlus Scheme guidelines have been revised to cater for the changes announced, specifically:
- The qualifying criteria for those Under 30 can now avail of the support after 6 months (156 days) on the Live Register in the previous 12 months.
- Time spent in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment can now be counted for the purposes of this eligibility
The revised JobsPlus Operational Guidelines have been updated and are available on https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/8529b5-operational-guidelines-jobsplus/
