Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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14. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if the JobsPlus scheme and other related schemes are reviewed annually; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24627/15]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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JobsPlus was designed to provide a direct monthly financial incentive to employers who recruit long-term unemployed employees from the live register. At the end of May 2015, the Department had made year to date payments of €8.25 million to almost 3,600 employers in respect of 4,900 employees. Two levels of payment are provided - €7,500 or €10,000 over two years – provided the employment is maintained. The rate of payment depends on the length of time the person is unemployed. Since 2015, the scheme has been expanded to include those transitioning into employment from the one-parent family payment scheme, and short-term unemployed young people via the Youth Guarantee. A review of the pilot phase of JobsPlus, covering the first year of its operation (from July 2013 to June 2014), confirmed that the aim of putting in place an easily identifiable and user-friendly scheme targeted at employers had been achieved. It also found that over 60% of jobseekers, more than 24 months on the live register, have benefitted from the initiative, contrary to expectations prior to the introduction of the initiative. The review noted that the average level of subsidy paid at the end of June 2014 amounted to just under €374 per employee per month and that there was a net benefit to the Exchequer from each employee maintained in employment.

In line with commitments made in the context of Pathways to Work, the Department recently looked at the first 18 months of operations of JobsPlus. This confirmed that the findings from the earlier review remain valid. I propose to publish the outcome of the reviews in the coming weeks.