Written answers

Thursday, 1 March 2012

Department of Social Protection

Employment Support Services

5:00 pm

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 129: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the total number of positions created to date under the jobbridge scheme; the remaining number of places if any; the number of applications on hand or pending; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12036/12]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The National Internship Scheme, JobBridge was launched on 1st July 2011. Currently, 5,163 interns have commenced internship placements. In addition, there are 2,266 internship placements currently advertised.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 130: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she expects to be in a position to address the employment issue of the long-term unemployed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12037/12]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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As part of the overall Government approach to unemployment, the Department of Social Protection operates a range of employment support measures designed to encourage and support social welfare recipients of working age to reduce their dependency on welfare payments.

These include tús – the community work placement initiative, the rural social scheme (rss), community employment (ce) and the community services programme (csp). Under tús, there is provision for up to 5,000 short-term quality work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year, rollout of this initiative is advancing with 2,875 currently engaged on the payroll. Under the rss, 2,730 are engaged, while 23,300 people are provided with opportunities under the ce scheme. The csp currently supports 2,800 people in full and part-time employment. The purpose of work placement, employment and training schemes is to focus on those people who are long-term unemployed and likely to have more limited opportunity of returning to the labour market and in need of training. In addition, last week I announced a new initiative 'Pathways to Work', which is a radical new plan to get unemployed people back to work. 'Pathways to Work' is primarily focused on those who have been out of work for a year or more. The aim is to get 75,000 people who are currently long-term unemployed back into the workforce and to reduce the average time spent on the live register from 21 months today to less than 12 months by the end of 2015.

My Department will continue to encourage and support social welfare recipients of working age to reduce their dependency on welfare payments by entering into both part time and full time employment. The National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) process is a key element in addressing the progression needs of those on the live register. It provides an opportunity to explore and access, under professional guidance, a full range of employment and training services. In addition, as provided for under the Programme for Government, a new National Employment and Entitlements Service is being established under the management of the Department of Social Protection. The new service will integrate employment and benefit payment services and will be based on a case management approach with the objective of providing a more customised and personal service to customers. This Department will spend €977 million on employment supports in 2012, up from €882 million in 2011. This increased spending of €95 million, against a backdrop of significant fiscal consolidation, underlines the Government's commitment to enhancing support for employment. Overall, the Department will offer 85,650 job placement or work experience initiatives in 2012.

A policy review of the overall range of employment support, activation and work schemes operated by the Department is currently underway. The aim of the review is to assess the schemes, individually and in combination, 'in the light of their contribution to the Department's policy objective of supporting people of working age into employment' and to recommend any changes to the current range of schemes/programmes seen as required on the basis of the analyses carried out'. The review is scheduled for completion by the end of March.

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