Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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106. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which JobBridge and other employment supports are likely to meet their targets in 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11140/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The JobBridge scheme has made significant progress since it came into operation on 1 July 2011. Over 26,000 placements have commenced to-date and there are currently over 6,500 jobseekers participating on the scheme. This is broadly in line with the budget for 2014 which provides for a weekly average of 6,740 places to be filled, our objective as part of the Y6 is to increase this number to about 8,000 by year end 2014.

Tús, the community work placement initiative introduced during 2011, was set up to provide short-term, quality work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year. This initiative is being delivered through the network of local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta. In 2014 Tús expects to fill all 7,500 places on the programme and is currently on target. The Community Employment Programme is on course to meet its year-end targets in 2014 in terms of take-up of 25,300 CE places.

Gateway is part of a suite of initiatives being offered by the Department of Social Protection which are designed to bridge the gap between unemployment and re-entering the workforce. A budget of €19m has been earmarked for the initiative in 2014. Responsibility for delivery of this initiative rests with the individual county and/or city council and there is an overall target to provide for 3,000 placements by year end. Participants are currently being selected by a random process conducted by the Department for recruitment by county and city councils. To date, sixty participants have commenced on this initiative with three local authorities.