Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Unlike what happens in the North, where the Deputy's party is in government, there is absolutely no compulsion employed in the Irish system. I am delighted to say so. I share many of the concerns identified in various reports in Britain and Northern Ireland, but we do not do that here. The Deputy should be more au fait with the difference between social protection here, social protection North of the Border where his own party is in government, and in Britain.

The participants who may go on this work placement initiative are selected at random by the Department. That is part of an engagement process whereby people are identified together with whatever potential vacancies the county council will identify.

The Deputy mentioned Tús, which has been very successful. At any one time, there are approximately 7,000 people on Tús schemes. I constantly meet people on Tús schemes who have been out of work for four or five years. They felt they had lost contact with the workplace and could not get a job because they had been unemployed for so long, but they are delighted to be involved in Tús. I would hope that Gateway will begin to offer similar opportunities.

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