Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Apologies have been received from the Leas-Chathaoirleach, Deputy Ó Cathasaigh, agus na Seanadóirí Garvey agus Gavan. I remind members participating remotely that they must do so from the precincts of Leinster House. As we have two separate sessions in this morning's meeting with eight witnesses, and are limited to a two-hour slot, I propose our normal housekeeping business of minutes, correspondence, etc., be deferred to next week's meeting. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The purpose of this meeting is to continue our engagement on the subject of the provision of local employment services. We have already convened one meeting on this matter prior to the summer recess with the Irish Local Development Network, ILDN, and today we will hear from union representatives from SIPTU and Fórsa. In the second session, we will hear from senior officials from the Department of Social Protection.

I welcome the witnesses to our first session, which will conclude at 10.30 a.m. I welcome the following: Mr. John King, deputy general secretary of SIPTU; Mr. Adrian Kane, divisional organiser of SIPTU; Mr. Bernard Fennessy of the SIPTU national jobs club committee; Ms Ashley Connolly, head of division in Fórsa; Ms Lynn Coffey, assistant general secretary of Fórsa; and Mr. David Orford, Fórsa branch chairperson.

This joint committee recommended in its recent pre-budget submission to the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, that local employment services and jobs clubs be maintained in the current model. As a committee, we appreciate the concerns that a tendering process for employment services could lead to redundancies and the disruption of the service. From my discussions with staff running these services, there is a genuine fear that the person-centred approach of employment services and jobs clubs will be replaced by a purely placement-focused approach, excluding valuable key aspects of existing services like personal development.

This concern comes in the context of two key publications in the last week on labour market scarring, by the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council and the Oireachtas Parliamentary Budget Office. Both have highlighted that the scarring effects caused by the pandemic could have prolonged implications for our economy and result in higher long-term employment and lower economic output.

Some sectors have been harder hit than others over the last 18 months but there is no doubt there will be a disproportionate effect on youth unemployment, as well as impacts on longer term unemployment in the form of a wage penalty, diminished skills, limited career prospects and social exclusion. Fórsa and SIPTU represent over 350 workers employed in local employment services and jobs clubs throughout the country. We will hear their concerns on the proposed changes by the Department.

In our second session, we will have the opportunity to question senior officials from the Department of Social Protection on these changes and get a description of the regional employment service tendering process, comparable results achieved by JobPath, Intreo-based services, jobs clubs and the local employment service, and the reason behind the new phased procurement process.

Witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of a person or entity. Therefore, if a witness's statements are potentially defamatory in relation to any identifiable person or entity, the witness will be directed to discontinue his or her remarks. It is imperative that he or she complies with any such direction. Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official, either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.