Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Intreo and the Pathways to Work scheme have now been rolled out completely in 12 offices and partially in a further four offices around the country. I invite Members, including committee members, to visit some of the new Intreo offices because they are such a change in how people experience a social welfare office. We are also taking people’s photographs when they sign on as jobseekers for the new public services card and electronic signing has commenced. Following that, jobseekers are involved in a case structure system involving group interviews and then personalised interviews to see how we can help them.

The local employment service, LES, joined the Department consequent upon the FÁS employment services joining the Department. I consider it a valuable resource, as does the senior management of the Department, given that it is experienced in helping people back on what is sometimes a long road of education in some cases, going on to employment or developing their own business and self employment.

I am most anxious to continue to develop the models. I am not aware of the Deputy’s comments on the profitability of private sector providers in the UK. We are examining the methods in various European countries. I have spoken to people in Sweden, for example, about their public employment services and I am also interested in the French model. I have read also about the UK model. We also have a tradition in this country of using privately contracted-out local social welfare offices. There is a long history of contracting out in this country. It is one that has worked successfully and has assisted and provided services for many communities.

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