Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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573. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of letters drawing the attention of recipients of unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance to job vacancies abroad issued by her Department; and the criteria upon which it is decided who should be sent such information. [46959/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The European Employment Service, known as EURES was founded by the EU to further the development of a common labour market. The Department of Social Protection is required to provide the Eures service in Ireland and is obliged under European Law to bring to the attention of jobseekers in Ireland all employment opportunities in the EU/EEA which may be suitable for, and/or of interest to them. Equally, the EURES service is used to fill positions in Ireland from the wider European labour market where the necessary skills cannot be found in Ireland e.g. native language skills.

In the year to date, EURES has issued some 6,000 letters to jobseekers for positions in the wider EU/EEA. The letters were issued to people on the live register and to people who have registered with the Department’s employment service as seeking a change of job.

In addition to notifying EU area vacancies, the Department, from time to time, will notify vacancies advised by Government authorities in other states. This notification of vacancies operates on a reciprocal, goodwill basis.

The criteria used to select people is based entirely on the details provided by jobseekers registering for the Department’s employment services and a careful match is made against their skills, education, training and experience and the requirements of the positions on offer.

Availing of such job opportunities in the wider EU/EEA labour market and in other states is entirely at the discretion of the person receiving such communications from the Department and where a person does not wish to take up such opportunities his/her social welfare payment, where applicable, is not affected. The letters issued by the Department to jobseekers reflects this position.