Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 371: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she has any projections on the average number of times a person will have to visit the new employment and entitlement office a month under the new pathways to work scheme who is in receipt of job seeker's benefit or allowance; if her Department has statistics on the average number of times a person will have to visit the new employment and entitlement office a month under the new pathways to work scheme who is in receipt of the one family payment; if she has statistics on the average number of times that a person will have to visit the new employment and entitlement office a month under the new pathways to work scheme who is in receipt of back to work allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26813/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The 'Pathways to Work' initiative has been developed to deliver a new approach to the provision of services to unemployed people. The key objective is to deliver a service that supports people who are unemployed to find a pathway back to employment and thereby reduce both the average duration of unemployment and the number of people who are long-term unemployed.

Pathways to Work is a central component in the establishment of a new National Employment and Entitlements Service (NEES), as provided for in the Programme for Government. It is important to note that NEES will not be a stand-alone agency or service but will be an integrated element of the Department's service provision for people of working age.

It is not possible to state the average number of times a customer will visit a NEES office. As set out in the Pathways to Work document the number and regularity of visits will depend on individual circumstances. It is intended that each customer will receive a service tailored to their needs.