Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 July 2021
137. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the role labour activation measures can play in the post-Covid recovery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35296/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraBoth domestically and internationally there is a significant body of empirical evidence that demonstrates the positive role labour activation measures can play in stimulating economic recovery and in increasing the employment prospects of participants. While many have been displaced from their employment by the pandemic, a significant share of these people have already returned to work, and others will continue to return to their previous employment, as public health restrictions continue to ease. This week there are 228,000 on PUP, representing a reduction of around 50% from the most recent peak in numbers in February last when public health restrictions were at their highest level. However, it is inevitable that some jobs will be permanently lost, and additional numbers of persons will require State support to find new jobs and in transitioning back to work.A central focus of Government’s Economic Recovery Plan, which was launched on June 1st 2021, is on helping people get back to work, through the provision of employment supports, additional training, reskilling and work placement opportunities. Central to achieving this objective will be the Government’s forthcoming national employment services strategy, ‘Pathways to Work 2021-2025’, which is currently being finalised by my Department. By increasing labour market supports, and through the provision of employment supports, activation and skills opportunities, the Pathways to Work strategy will act as a key delivery mechanism of the Economic Recovery Plan’s second pillar ‘Helping People Back into Work’. Under this Strategy, in order to meet the increased demand for activation and labour market support as a result of the of the pandemic, the capacity of the Public Employment Service will be significantly expanded. Additionally, new innovative digital channels of delivery will improve efficiencies and complement existing face to face engagement in employment service delivery in the post-COVID labour market. Among the key activation measures outlined under the Economic Recovery Plan and Pathways to Work is the new paid Work Placement Experience Programme. Individuals out of work for at least six months will be eligible for the scheme, regardless of age and time spent on the PUP and other activation programmes is counted towards eligibility. This programme, which has a target of 10,000 participants by end-2022, will seek to encourage businesses to provide jobseekers with the necessary workplace skills to compete in the labour market and to help break the vicious circle of “no job without experience, no experience without a job”.While this Pathways to Work strategy will include measures to address the challenges arising as a result of the pandemic, the strategy will also focus on those groups unemployed and most distant from the labour market pre-pandemic, such as lone parents, disadvantaged young people, people with disabilities and members of the Traveller and Roma communities.Given the impact of the pandemic on young people, my Department is also supporting targeted supports for young persons, to help them to regain their footing in the labour market. Under Pathways to Work, this will include a new Government Youth Employment Charter for intensive engagement with young jobseekers, building on the EU’s new Reinforced Youth Guarantee and expanding the JobsPlus scheme to 8,000 places, enhancing the incentive to recruit young jobseekers in particular.I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
