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

Furthermore, we must have this service in place for the people who need it. Unfortunately, there are still many thousands of people who are long-term unemployed and need the service that is delivered by JobPath and other providers. The contracts will operate as agreed.

Looking to the future for activation services, my Department is examining all of its options for contracted activation provision from 2020 onwards. We will identify best practice across a number of considerations, including the quality of one-to-one intensive engagement, the value of a State-wide service, the contracting models and the procurement methodology. In line with the commitment in the Government's Pathways to Work strategy, my Department will be examining options to maximise provision of activation services to all groups, including those that have been more difficult to reach in the past. In developing best practice, appropriate consideration will be given to the value of expertise gained through the long experience of working with communities and the wider value of activation services and their impacts in terms of community development and social inclusion.

I have presented the facts about JobPath and I would challenge those who claim to have other information to present the facts, as opposed to anecdotes, that support their claims. JobPath has made a significant contribution to this Government's success in bringing our unemployment figures down from the height of the recession to where they are today.

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