Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

JobPath is an activation service that supports long-term unemployed people and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed to secure and sustain paid, suitable employment. Two companies, Turas Nua and Seetec, have been contracted to deliver JobPath services. The suitability of employment is a key factor in ensuring jobs are sustainable. If people are not placed in suitable jobs, they are less likely to remain in employment and the companies will get fewer fees. The fees are payable only in respect of sustained full-time employment.

All jobseekers are required to engage with the Department’s activation service, and this obligation applies irrespective of whether the service is provided by the Department’s own case officers or those employed by the local employment service or by JobPath.

The JobPath providers work closely with employers to provide them with the best possible candidates for available jobs. It is not in the interests of the JobPath providers to place unsuitable candidates into inappropriate jobs as that would have adverse effects on the provider’s ability to secure jobs for its other clients.

The JobPath providers are subject to regular on-site checks and inspections to ensure JobPath is delivered in accordance with contractual obligations. My Department is also commissioning a customer satisfaction survey to assess independently if customers are satisfied with the level and quality of service delivered by the contractors. Failure by the contractors to satisfy my Department’s inspectors or to achieve a satisfactory score in the independent survey will result in payment penalties being applied to them.

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