Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to allay those concerns. The focus here is on the client, the unemployed person. That is the number one priority. When a person is referred to the local employment service, it is done through the Intreo services. They will decide the best pathway. It is all about client-focused services and delivering the best outcome for the client. Under this contract, the local employment service will receive 45% of the payment up-front upon the referral of a person to the service. That has been put in place because I knew there could be some problems around cash flow, etc. When the client signs up to a plan, the local employment service receives another 45%. As such, the service receives 90% of the cost. We have also included a minimum cost in the tender, so applicants cannot bid below a certain price. This has all been done to ensure the client is the number one person in all of this. The final 10% is paid when a job is secured.

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