Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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84. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she is satisfied with the JobPath process, and that it is not impeding the work of local Intreo offices, and duplicating and undermining services already being provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38901/15]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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JobPath is a new approach to employment activation that supports people who are long-term unemployed and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed to secure and sustain paid employment. Following the completion of a public procurement process, two companies were selected to provide the JobPath service - Turas Nua Limited and Seetec Limited. The companies will deliver services directly and will also engage a range of local subcontractors, including local training and employment service providers.

JobPath is an addition to, not a substitute for, the services already provided by the Department. JobPath is augmenting and complementing the Department’s existing internal employment service capacity as well as that already delivered under contract arrangements, with Local Employment Service and Job Club providers, and is thereby increasing the Department’s overall capacity to engage with, support and assist jobseekers to enter / re-enter and sustain employment. JobPath does not duplicate or undermine existing services.

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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85. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views, regarding the fact that the JobPath scheme is being operated by the Seetec company, which is being investigated in the United Kingdom; regarding other similar problems emerging whereby persons were harshly sanctioned resulting in suicide and human rights violations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38902/15]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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JobPath is a new approach to employment activation that will support people who are long-term unemployed and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed to secure and sustain paid employment. Following the completion of a public procurement process, two companies were selected to provide the JobPath service - Turas Nua Limited and Seetec Limited. The companies will deliver services directly and will also engage a range of local subcontractors, including local training and employment service providers.

Seetec was accused of fraudulent activity by former staff members in 2013. This alleged fraud related to claims that Seetec inflated employment outcomes for people with disabilities under the 'Work Choices' programme in the UK. The Department for Work and Pensions has publicly refuted these claims and advised the UK’s Public Accounts Committee that it has investigated the claims and found no wrongdoing.

The potential for inflating figures has been taken into consideration in the design of JobPath. The Department is satisfied that artificial inflation of employment outcomes will be controlled in Ireland though the use of data matching with Revenue Commencement of Employment records and the Department’s own welfare payment systems.

The criticism in relation to sanctions in the UK arose in relation to persons with disabilities and those in receipt of health related benefits. The clients selected for referral to the JobPath service do not include such categories of clients. Decisions regarding a person’s welfare entitlements while on JobPath will be taken only by Departmental officials and not by the JobPath companies. The sanction process for clients on JobPath is exactly the same as the process for clients who engage with the Department’s own activation service.