Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Question 122: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she proposes to use age of the unemployed as a factor in its analysis in its new profiling system for the unemployed, which aims to identify early those with a high probability of becoming long-term unemployed at the time they first become unemployed. [13027/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The profiling model has been developed by the ERSI and is set out in their 2009 report "National Profiling of the Unemployed in Ireland". Following on from this my Department has, in conjunction with the ESRI, developed the necessary technological functionality to provide for the capture of profile data from jobseekers and the calculation of each person's probability of exit from the Live Register within 12 months. This functionality will also provide the facility to segment and select customers, based on their probability of exit from the Live Register, for referral to appropriate supports.

The model uses a range of characteristics, including age, with weightings applied to them. Other characteristics include education level, literacy or numeracy difficulties, number of children, and history of unemployment. The accuracy, or predictive capacity of the model developed, is high by international standards and is particularly accurate in predicting likely duration on the Live Register. It is planned to implement enhanced activation arrangements which will be grounded in a profiling system using the statistical model developed. Profiling will facilitate early targeted interventions for those who need them most, resulting in better outcomes and potential programme savings. The model is currently being tested in the live environment in preparation for a planned roll-out of profiling functionality across local offices nationally.