Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

93. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider reviewing the selection process for participants on the Tús community work placement initiative, to include a facility whereby unemployed persons who meet the scheme's qualifying criteria can pro-actively apply to participate, rather than the random selection process currently operated by her Department. [48512/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Tús, the community work placement initiative introduced during 2011, was established to provide 5,000 short-term, quality work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year. The initiative was expanded during 2013 to enable an additional 2,500 per annum to participate. Some 7,320 were on the Tús payroll on 8th November 2013 (including supervisors/team leaders), and some 14,220 have participated since the scheme’s inception. A key feature of Tús is that all selection is undertaken by random processes conducted at local level by the Department of Social Protection. The selection is focused on those on the Live Register for a year or more and in receipt of a jobseekers’ payment who have more limited job or work placement opportunities.

Tús is one of a number of interventions my Department funds and manages to enable the attainment of the priorities established by the Government in Pathways to Work. Community employment and JobBridge operate on the basis on a self-selecting basis whereby a person who is unemployed can apply to participate. Advice on the opportunities across a range of work placement, internships, self-employment, training and educational supports and options can be accessed via the Department’s offices and Intreo service and further information is available on the Department’s website – www.welfare.ie.