Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 March 2022
303. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the selection criteria for activation programs for social welfare claimants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12204/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe aim of the activation process is to support jobseekers along a pathway to sustainable employment. The approach is to help them to develop and pursue a Personal Progression Plan (PPP), including steps to identify and compete for suitable employment opportunities, to take-up relevant work experience, topursue upskilling and training programmes, to set up their own business, to return to fulltime education, or to participate in State/community employment programmes. PPPs are tailored to the needs of the individual and form the basis of the engagement through agreed actions between the client and the employment services officer.
Jobseekers selected for activation are invited to engage with an employment services officer to
a) explore employment, training and development options, and
b) actively pursue a program of agreed actions to be taken towards gaining employment.
Activation services are provided both internally through the Department’s Intreo Centres, and externally through our partners such as Local Employment Services (LES) and JobPath.
The criteria for selection for activation are as follows:
- The customer has been awarded a jobseeker payment, and
- There is no policy reason for excluding the customer from activation. For example, jobseekers aged 62 years and upwards are not selected for activation.
Additional criteria apply to customers selected for the Local Employment Service (LES) and JobPath.
- In the case of both LES and JobPath, customers are selected when they have more than 312 claim paid days.
- In the case of JobPath, additional criteria apply including the referral of casual workers and self-employed persons in receipt of an income-related jobseeker’s payment.
The selection process is automated and is random.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
