Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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310. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will allow an increase in the self referral percentage for Tús work placement initiative participants in Cork from the current 20% (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19635/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Tús, the community work placement initiative 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. Tús is designed to break the cycle of unemployment and maintain work readiness thereby improving a person’s opportunities of returning to the labour market. Initially all participants were randomly selected by the Department.

In 2015, the Tús initiative was further developed to allow for an assisted referral process for up to 20% of participants. This allows jobseekers to apply to be considered for recruitment to the initiative. In such cases the application from eligible jobseekers will be mediated through a case officer in my Department.

Currently, I am satisfied that random selection should remain the main referral process and that 80% of referrals in all locations will continue to be selected in this way. However, with the ongoing welcome reductions in the live register, I believe that a review of work schemes, including Tús, will be necessary to ensure that the number and nature of schemes and the conditions governing participation continue to be appropriate. I will be considering all of these issues over the coming months.