Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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396. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding the JobsPlus scheme. [41015/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Pathways to Work sets out the Government's policy on labour market activation to address the employment crisis. In line with these commitments, those long-term on the live register are the focus of interventions across Government Departments and agencies. JobsPlus was launched on 8th July 2013. This is a new simpler incentive that replaced two schemes -Employer Job PRSI Incentive Scheme and the Revenue Job Assist Scheme - to encourage employers to recruit and employ persons who have been unemployed for long periods. 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 has been unemployed for a longer period is recruited and retained.

JobsPlus is designed to be a focused and attractive incentive to employers to employ the longer term unemployed. The initiative is operating on a pilot basis initially and consideration to broadening eligibility will not arise until the impact of the initiative has been examined. Further information regarding the scheme can be found at .