Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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111. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the uptake to date under the JobsPlus scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43902/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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JobsPlus was launched on 8th July 2013. This is a new incentive to encourage employers to recruit and employ persons who have been unemployed for long periods. It replaced this Department's Employer Job PRSI Incentive Scheme and the Revenue Job Assist Scheme managed by the Revenue Commissioners. Subject to meeting the eligibility criteria and creating a full-time position, employers will receive a direct monthly 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.

The Department had received applications from 2,639 jobseekers at the close of business on the 11th October 2013. Of these, 2,028 applications have been deemed eligible with 1,301 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 727 applications are eligible for a payment of €7,500 over two years, having been unemployed for between 12 and 24 months. The Department has processed applications from 1,393 employers at the 11^th October. Of these 585 have been matched with eligible jobseekers and I expect grant payments to commence in respect of these 520 of these cases before the end of the month. Work is on-going in matching the remaining eligible employers with jobseekers. Further information regarding the scheme can be found at www.jobsplus.ie.