Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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124. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of jobs created to date under the jobsplus scheme; the cost of the scheme to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40143/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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JobsPlus which was launched on 8th July 2013, is a new incentive to encourage employers to recruit and employ persons who have been unemployed for long periods. This incentive replaced this Department’s Employer Job PRSI Incentive Scheme and Revenue’s Job Assist Scheme. Subject to meeting the eligibility criteria and creating a full-time position, employers will receive a direct cash incentive over two years if the person they hire has been unemployed for a prolonged period. The level of payment is higher where a person who is recruited and retained has been unemployed for a longer period.

Up to Friday 20th September 2013, the Department had received and processed applications from 1,121 employers. Over the same period, applications from 2,125 jobseekers have been received. Of these, 1,577 applications have been deemed eligible with 1,029 qualifying on the basis of being 24 months unemployed and, therefore, attracting a payment to an employer of €10,000 paid over two years. The remaining 548 applications are eligible for a payment of €7,500 over two years, having been unemployed for between 12 and 24 months.

At present, 400 eligible employers and eligible jobseekers have been matched. Of these, 250 employment contracts commenced in July and August and grant payments in respect of 236 cases will be made before the end of September. The projected outlay for these contracts is expected to cost under €400,000 in 2013. The initiative is expected to operate on a pilot basis initially, with €21.25 million allocated to cover costs over three years.

Further information regarding the scheme can be found at www.jobsplus.ie.

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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125. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the cost of the reduced rate of PRSI as part of the 2011 jobs initiative in each year since its inception; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40145/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The following are the projected costs at the time of the implementation of the measures in July 2011: