Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is saying there will be no new referrals to JobPath but that the contract will be extended for a year. Will the extreme circumstances of Brexit be used as an excuse to bring penalties on those who are suffering job losses, such as those announced in Shannon and Cork in the past day or so? One figure suggests that only 9% of participants have secured long-term employment but research has shown that, as we saw in the committee, the scheme is often used in a patronising, cajoling, threatening and manipulative way and that many people identify the service as deliberately attempting to lower their expectations of work, wages and the way it interferes with family and caring responsibilities. It is time we put an end to this unnecessarily cruel system and we may save €150 million for the public coffers by doing so and by ceasing to penalise people who are unfortunate enough to be long-term unemployed and in receipt of job benefits. I know many people who have felt the threat, the cajoling and the bullying that take place through these so-called "activation of labour" organisations.

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