Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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349. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which JobBridge and other unemployment alleviation measures continue to be successful; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24746/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Since the lowest point of the jobs crisis, the unemployment rate has fallen from a peak of over 15% to 11.8% at present. The long-term unemployment rate has fallen from 9.5% to 7.3%. The number of long-term unemployed has fallen from 204,000 in early 2012 to 156,000 at present. In terms of the Live Register, a target was set that 75,000 of those who were long-term on the Register at the beginning of 2012 would move into employment by the end of 2015; the number who have already done so is now over 46,000 and we are well on track to beating our target –a target that was considered by many to be overly ambitious.

The Department operates four main schemes whose purpose is to provide a pathway to employment:

- JobsPlusis targeted specifically at encouraging employers to recruit people who are long-term unemployed. Over 2,300 long-term unemployed people have been placed in employment as a result of JobsPlus and over 60% of these have been unemployed for 2 years or more.

- Community Employment and Túsprovide work experience opportunities for long term unemployed jobseekers mainly within the community and voluntary sector. The numbers of participants on Community Employment and Tús as of May 2014 were 23,150 and 7, 379 respectively up from 21,250 and 5131 in May 2013.

- The JobBridgescheme provides a stepping stone for unemployed people to employment in the wider economy. The Scheme is specifically intended to give jobseekers an opportunity to increase their employability through real-workplace experience. In May 2014 there were just under 6,900 participants on the Scheme. To date nearly 30,000 people have participated in the scheme. Evaluation results indicate that 61% of leavers from JobBridge find employment within 5 months of leaving their internship. The independent research indicates that JobBridge, based on 2011 and 2012 performance generated positive value to the exchequer.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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351. 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. [24750/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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JobsPlus provides a direct monthly financial incentive to employers who recruit employees from those who are long-term on the live register (LR). The incentive is payable, on a monthly basis, over a two year period if the employee is retained in full-time employment for two years. JobsPlus is biased in favour of those who are longer term unemployed. The value of the aggregate monthly payments is €7,500 for employing a jobseeker 12 to 24 months on the LR and €10,000 if the jobseeker was on the LR for over 24 months. Since its launch in July 2013, JobsPlus is supporting some 2,385 jobseekers in full-time employment with 1,811 employers nationally. Some 60% of jobseekers being supported had been on the LR for over 24 months at the time of recruitment.

At the end of May 2014, payments under the JobsPlus scheme thus far amounted to approx. €4.5 million. Progress is detailed on the following table.

TABLE: JobsPlus - Numbers Supported