Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 66: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the action he is taking to promote all welfare to work schemes among both employers and employees. [43853/10]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 74: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the steps he is taking to improve the information services available to employees and employers on the benefits of jobseekers moving from the welfare to work. [43866/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 74 together.

The Department operates a network of some 125 local and branch offices throughout the country. Each local office has officers who are dedicated to providing information and are available to explain supports and services to people. Information officers provide a range of information to customers on their entitlements including, in broad terms, the effect that taking up work may have on their social welfare payments.

There is also a network of 67 facilitators at local level in the Department. Facilitators work with social welfare recipients to identify appropriate training or development programmes which will enhance the skills that the individual has and ultimately improve their employment chances, as well as help them to continue to develop personally. They work in close co-operation with other agencies and service providers including FÁS, VEC, other education and training providers and the local and community and voluntary sector. In addition they provide advice and support to customers who wish to access the back to education scheme, the back to work scheme, and the short term enterprise allowance scheme of the Department.

The National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) is the main activation measure for jobseekers and provides for a systematic engagement of the employment services with unemployed people. It provides a stimulus to job search and affords an opportunity to explore, under professional guidance, the full range of employment and training services offered by FÁS. In the period January to end of August 2010 (the latest period for which data are available to this Department), a total of 60,797 persons were referred to FÁS - this is an increase of 9% (4,914) over the same period in 2009. 46,146 (76%) were interviewed by FÁS and 9,489 (16%) were placed in jobs, training or education.

The locally-based service in operation in the Department's network of local and branch offices is supported by a central Information Unit which operates a LoCall information line (1890 66 22 44) which customers may call for information and guidance on their entitlements.

The Department produces a comprehensive range of information leaflets and booklets and these are available in a wide range of outlets, including Social Welfare Offices, Citizens Information Centres and Post Offices. Leaflets can also be requested through the Department's website.

The Department's website, www.welfare.ie, contains full information on its range of schemes and services, including jobseekers supports, and has a 'Frequently Asked Questions' section dedicated to Jobseekers; this section of the site is available in English, Irish and Polish and provides answers to some of the most common queries the Department receives on topics such as taxation of benefits and on options available regarding training, employment, self-employment and voluntary work.

The employer job (PRSI) incentive scheme, which was launched on June 21st this year, is prominently advertised on the website's home page. The Department also operates a PRSI mailing list via its website, and almost four thousand subscribers, primarily employers and tax practitioners, receive emails on PRSI changes each year.

Jobseeker customers can now close their claim online and customers doing so are provided with a link to a dedicated page, listing the supports that may be available to them on return to the workforce, such as Family Income Supplement, Money Advice and Budgeting Service, etc.

Funding is also provided annually to the Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed (INOU) to produce their booklet "Working for Work", which contains full information on jobseekers payments, the training and development options available to jobseekers as well as advice on job searching, tax and other social services provided by other Departments and agencies. INOU provides free copies of the "Working for Work" booklet to people in receipt of social welfare payments.

The Citizens Information Board, which comes under the aegis of the Department, is the national information agency with responsibility for supporting the provision of independent information and advice on the broad range of social services including social welfare services. Information is provided through Citizen Information Centres and other offices throughout the country, through the Citizens Information Phone Service (1890 777 121) which operates from 9am to 9pm Monday to Friday and on their website at www.citizensinformation.ie. The Citizens Information Board recently launched a new website dedicated to people recently made unemployed, called www.losingyourjob.ie. This site provides a single point of information for anyone looking for assistance with unemployment or reduced hours.

The Department will continue to increase and improve the channels through which it delivers information services to all its customers.