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Employment Support Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021

Tuesday, 27 July 2021

Ceisteanna (1094, 1095, 1096, 1112, 1119, 1122, 1124, 1125, 1134, 1187)

Claire Kerrane

Ceist:

1094. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the way a payment per person model will benefit those most in need of employment supports with regard to the request for tender for employment services in view of the proposed model generating income through client referral which will likely favour those who are job ready and the removal or merging of key service supports which are currently available on a walk-in basis; the reports or data which advised this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39120/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Claire Kerrane

Ceist:

1095. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration was given to local community development companies client-centred ethos as part of the proposed changes to employment services (details supplied) and the financial risks this model presents to not-for-profit employment service providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39121/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Claire Kerrane

Ceist:

1096. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the way her Department arrived at a proposed model of employment services by which providers derive income from a reliance on client referral numbers including the process for determining specific key performance indicators for this proposed model; if her Department has met its targets for referrals to the local employment services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39122/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

1112. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the way in which local employment services can operate under financial uncertainty in view of the fact local employment service income is dependent on referrals from her Department and given that to date her Department has never met its target for referrals to the local employment services. [39448/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Catherine Connolly

Ceist:

1119. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the engagement she has had to date in 2021 with the local employment services sector in Ireland with regard to the recent change to the regional employment service model; her plans to establish a stakeholder forum to allow for ongoing engagement between the sector and her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39621/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Seán Canney

Ceist:

1122. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider ceasing the tendering process for the delivery of local employment services in order for her Department to actively engage with all stakeholders to find the best way forward for the delivery of the services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39758/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Cian O'Callaghan

Ceist:

1124. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if it will be ensured that local employment services are not outsourced or privatised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39823/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Seán Haughey

Ceist:

1125. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans for changes to the local employment services tender; if her attention has been drawn to concerns from communities regarding these proposed changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39825/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Brendan Smith

Ceist:

1134. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if consideration will be given to the issues outlined in correspondence (details supplied) in relation to local employment services, if it will be ensured that the present delivery model is retained; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40077/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Cormac Devlin

Ceist:

1187. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will arrange a meeting with representatives of an organisation (details supplied) to discuss its proposal for a stakeholders forum prior to any decision on any new employment service contract being signed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41421/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1094, 1095, 1096, 1112, 1119, 1122, 1124, 1125, 1134 and 1187 together.

Following on from a review of public employment services in my Department, my officials have commenced a series of procurement exercises to secure appropriate services to engage with the long-term unemployed and other cohorts throughout the State. The focus throughout this exercise is the customer, their needs and how they can be met through customer-centric services delivering the necessary supports in their journey to employment. My Department is conscious of the need to have supports in place at the time that the customer needs them and to be able to respond rapidly to changes in the labour market and the demand for services.

This process was preceded by extensive engagement both at Ministerial and official level since 2019, including site visits by officials to every Local Employment Service, Job Club and Employability service in the State, a briefing to stakeholders on the Indecon Reviews of Local Employment Services and Job Clubs, engagement with stakeholders by external consultants on behalf of the Department and numerous meetings at official and Ministerial level with the representative body, the ILDN, and other stakeholders.

The Regional Employment Service model used for phase one was the product of extensive stakeholder engagement and the input of external consultants. It is fully in line with the recently published Pathways to Work 2021-2025 strategy. In addition, ensuring any new employment service was legally compatible with EU and national procurement regulations was an absolute imperative.

The new service is not a privatisation of Government services. These services have been outsourced by the State since the mid-1990s. Instead, it is a shift to competitive procurement as required by law. The possibility of retaining the current LES model, which was developed a generation ago, with rolling contracts under a closed procurement process, was not an option.

The procurement of the new approach requires tenderers to demonstrate their ability to deliver a high-quality service to the long-term unemployed and others furthest from the labour market. The approach place a significant focus on tenderers ability to access a wide range of supports and services locally in order to assist their clients progress towards employment.

Tenders have been received for the first phase of this procurement or a Regional Employment Service, with four lots covering seven counties in the Midlands and the North-West and the preferred bidders will be notified in due course. Any learnings from this process will feed into the second phase.

The second phase, still under development, will see the expansion of the Regional Employment Service throughout the State, as well as the procurement of additional employment services on a national level through a separate request for tenders.

The Regional Employment Service is aimed at cohorts furthest from the labour market and has been designed to be accessible to tenders from the community and voluntary sector, giving due regard to their experience and competencies.

As the request for tenders is still under development, I am not in a position to reveal details of the forthcoming phase two procurement for employment services. However, as with phase one, the emphasis on designing a request for tender that places no obstacles to the community and voluntary sector will remain a guiding principle.

Question No. 1095 answered with Question No. 1094.
Question No. 1096 answered with Question No. 1094.
Question No. 1097 answered with Question No. 1089.
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