Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The purpose of Gateway is to focus on those people who are long-term unemployed. For this reason, eligibility is at present confined to those on the Live Register for 24 months and in receipt of jobseeker's allowance. These provisions are to ensure a targeted approach to those currently affected by long-term unemployment.

Eligible persons are being identified by the Department of Social Protection by applying the following conditions:

- A person must be unemployed and in receipt of a jobseeker's payment for at least 24 months, and

- Currently be in receipt of jobseeker's allowance, and

- Be fully unemployed.

Persons in receipt of disability payments are not eligible for participation on Gateway. Work placement and training opportunities for people with disabilities are available under community employment in addition to a range of other initiatives supportive of a return to and retention in the work place. I currently have no plans to extend the qualifying criteria beyond that identified above.