Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 May 2021
122. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to maintain the method of funding, that is, cost met model and not the cost bid model for local employment services (details supplied). [26151/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra130. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the concerns raised by local development companies regarding the provision of support for employment service providers; her plans to address such concerns, including their role in generating employment following the fall-out from Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26224/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra141. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans for local development companies that unlike private entities provide a complete wrap-around service for their communities and work on an non-for-profit basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26225/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 122, 130 and 141 together.
As part of the July jobs stimulus, the Government committed to increase resources dedicated to the delivery of employment services and to expand the coverage of the local employment type services to areas not currently covered by existing providers. My Department will shortly issue a Request for Tender (RFT) to expand local employment type services into some geographical areas where a Local Employment Service does not currently exist.
The forthcoming RFT will have no impact on the contracts of existing local employment service providers in other areas, and it is expected that the tender will prove attractive to local community-based organisations with a strong community ethos, including the Local Development Companies.
My Department has obtained legal advice that employment assistance and advice services must be procured though open competitive procurement processes in line with EU and national procurement rules.
In practice, the annual "cost met" funding approach requires a level of scrutiny of day-to-day expenditure, which places an undue administrative burden on both the employment service provider and my Department. Such an approach diverts valuable resources away from supporting clients and, as such, and does little to enhance employment outcomes for the long-term unemployed. Moving to a new multiannual funding approach, which pays for each client referred to the service, coupled with a strong emphasis on quality of service provision will reduce the administrative burden and is more likely to deliver enhanced outcomes for those availing of the service.
Separately, the current contracts for all contracted Public Employment Service (PES) provision, expire at the end of 2021. These contracts have been in place in many cases for over 20 years with no formal procurement being undertaken in that period. This is not in compliance with the requirements of good governance or proper procurement. My Department is therefore developing a series of RFTs to ensure that with effect from 2022 the Public Employment Service has sufficient capacity and can deliver a sufficient high-quality employment service in order to support all those who need our assistance and help in securing employment.
Organisations, including the Local Development Companies, with strong experience in the delivery of similar services at a community and local level, will be in a strong position to respond to the RFTs when they issue.
