Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

The targets set out in Pathways to Work are to be achieved in the period up to 2014. This is a major change. The first part of the year was spent taking in the new staff and integrating the three strands of staff, that is, the original Department of Social Protection staff; the former FÁS staff who, on 1 January, became civil servants and the former community welfare service staff who, on 1 October, became civil servants. We have been working on the integration and rolling out the project in four offices on a pilot basis in Sligo, Arklow, King's Inns Street and Tallaght, Dublin.

In terms of targets, we have put in place the engagement procedures whereby people are profiled for employment and education history and a prediction is made about whether they will be able to find a job. All of this is taking place according to plan. The group engagements are all happening as set out and I am pleased to report that all targets in terms of establishment of the scheme are being achieved.

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