Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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533. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons that have been activated to work through the JobPath programme since its foundation, by county, in tabular form. [51816/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) provides a range of activation supports catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market to secure and sustain full-time paid employment. These supports include the JobPath service. 

JobPath is an employment service, which helps long-term unemployed people to secure and sustain paid employment. The service was launched in 2015 on a ‘rolling basis’ with referral numbers gradually increasing over time

There are two phases to the service.  During the first phase, of 12 months duration, a personal advisor (PA) provides practical assistance in searching, preparing for, securing and sustaining employment.  The second phase starts if the jobseeker is successful in finding work.  During this phase the PA continues to work with the client for a further period of up to 12 months.  In addition to the two phases jobseekers may also undertake training while with the service and this may extend the period the jobseeker is supported through the service for up to a further 6 months.

To date, just over 195,000 clients have commenced their engagement period with the service as set out in the table below

The department is undertaking an econometric review of this strand of its activation services.  Completion of the review is provisionally scheduled for the end of 2018, following which more detailed and robust statistics will be available.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Clients engaged with JobPath -July 2015 - October 2018

Clients engaged with JobPath July 2015 - October 2018 and Employment Details.