Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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30. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that funding for the County Kildare Local Employment Service network has dropped by over 60% in 2015 compared to 2014; if her attention has been drawn to the enormous impact this will have on the ability of persons to get back to work, at variance with her stated aims of moving persons off social welfare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4973/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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There has been no reduction in the level of funding allocated for the Local Employment Service (LES) for 2015 and there has been no reduction in the funding allocation of any individual LES. The LES in question was actually granted some additional funding to cover an increase in overheads in 2015. The Deputy may be referring to a change to the funding of support grants that are provided to jobseekers to assist them with certain minor costs involved in getting back to work but the level of such funding in 2015 remains unchanged. Up until 31st December 2014, the LES had access to two funds i.e. the Technical Support Grant Fund and the Mediator Fund. From 1 January 2015, the LES has access to a single fund (Mediator Fund) but the level of funding provided has been increased to an amount equivalent to the combined LES expenditure in 2014 from both funds. The Mediator Fund has been allocated across LES contractors on the basis of the number of clients with whom they are contracted to engage in 2015.