Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide details of the new local authority scheme announced by her; the type of work that will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57792/12]

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection the way the social employment schemes and places will be allocated to local authorities; the date on which these schemes may be applied for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1068/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 412 and 465 together.

The Government, as part of the Budget package for 2013 announced a number of initiatives focused on providing work opportunities for those currently unemployed. The key elements of this package are to add an additional 2,500 places to JobBridge; 2,000 places on community employment; 2,500 to Tús – the community work placement initiative - and the development of a new initiative with local authorities to provide 3,000 opportunities in 2013. This is in line with the commitments set out in the Action Plan for Jobs and Pathways to Work.

The design of the local authority initiative and the nature of work to be undertaken will require consultation with a range of stakeholders, including those bodies responsible for the delivery of other schemes funded by the Department of Social Protection. Development work on this new initiative has commenced with the local authorities. The method to allocating places, which is likely to be based on the geographic distribution of those persons meeting the criteria for the initiative, and the timetables for the development of pilots to inform the design of the scheme and the roll-out of the full initiative have yet to be agreed.