Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

JobPath is a case management service that provides employment counselling and advice to long-term unemployed jobseekers with a view to improving their prospects of securing sustained employment. It complements the case management services already provided by the Department's staff via Intreo and other contracted providers such as the local employment service. JobPath operates on a payment by results basis with expenditure determined by the number of jobseekers in respect of whom a personal progression plan is prepared and subsequently, and perhaps more importantly, the number of those who secure and sustain employment. All the set-up and operating costs are borne by the service providers. The Department only incurs expenditure when a customer starts his or her engagement with the service, at which point the service provider may submit a claim for a registration fee. No further expenditure is incurred unless the client secures full-time employment for a sustained period of initially not less than 13 weeks and which results in the closure of their jobseeker's allowance claim. Notwithstanding that, and to protect the interests of the State, the fees paid to the service providers are subject to downward adjustment only based on the level of employment in the wider economy. A discount was applied to all fees payable in 2017 and 2018 and it is expected the same discount will be applied in 2019.

The provision of essential case managed employment services to long-term unemployed jobseekers costs money regardless of how, or through which medium, those services are provided. The total average cost per jobseeker using the service to date is €780. This cost is well below the average cost incurred in other similar contracted services in the State.

In terms of outcomes, the first report on the econometric evaluation of JobPath will be issued at the end of January. Preliminary results from the evaluation indicate the overall impact has been positive, particularly for those with the greatest duration of unemployment. The data confirm internal data published by the Department and also reflect the positive customer feedback from independent customer satisfaction research we undertook last year. Taking the outcomes with the lower average cost, I am satisfied that JobPath is delivering value for money.

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