Johnny Mythen (Wexford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There is a wise old saying that if it ain't broken, don't fix it. This is certainly not the case here. The new regional employment services are no match for the local employment services and job clubs. With over 25 years' experience under their belt, they are far better placed to service their communities than profit-driven private entities. I do not see how the Minister can tender out services currently provided by job clubs and local employment services based on an unpublished report and incorrect reference to EU procurement of contracts. This is based on the previous record of JobPath, which had a success rate of 6% between 2015 and 2021, costing the taxpayer €275 million. Worst of all, it is based on the ethos of privatisation, throwing citizens into a cauldron of box-ticking exercises with the whole purpose being driven by financial results and massive profits while simultaneously taking out walk-in and wrap-around services. This disproportionately affects lone parents and people with disabilities, including those with limited education.

I have spoken with my local employment service officers. They are a tremendously hard-working group of people providing vital walk-in and wrap-around services, particularly to those on the lower employment scale. They have been cost-effective for over 25 years. The services they provide are totally person-centred and community based. The Minister must foster and protect the not-for-profit local employment services, not deplete them or replace them with an alien entity whose goals we all know will be far removed from the welfare of our local communities.

We ask that the tender process be re-examined as it is stacked on the commercial privatisation side. Local employment services are not-for-profit organisations with charitable status. Therefore, they will not be able to compete with the current austere terms and conditions, one of which is that they must have a turnover of €1.2 million. This multiplies the risk which is held individually by each manager and therefore will threaten the existing 26 branches and exclude them from the tendering process along with closing 40 job clubs.

With this in mind, we are asking the Government to see the merit and true value of our local enterprise services and to support our motion. I wish to acknowledge the Trojan work of my colleague, Deputy Kerrane, in preparing the motion.

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