John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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750. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if approval will be given to a person (details supplied) to take up a place on a community employment scheme. [25598/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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JobPath is one of the range of activation supports, including schemes such as Tús and Community Employment (CE), catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers. JobPath supports people who are long-term unemployed and those most distant from the labour market to secure and sustain full-time paid employment. CE and Tús schemes provide long-term unemployed people with part-time experience as a stepping stone back to employment and are not full-time sustainable jobs.

Given the need to manage the allocation of places effectively, the Department does not, in general, facilitate or encourage jobseekers to transfer from or leave one activation support scheme to take up a place on another activation support scheme. The period of engagement on JobPath for any individual jobseeker is 52 weeks. Participation is mandatory for those who are referred.

The person mentioned by the Deputy was referred to JobPath on the 18th July 2016 and a Personal Progression Plan was completed which includes a schedule of activities, actions and job focused targets. The client subsequently attended an interview for a CE Scheme on the 20th July 2016 and was offered a start date of the 25th August 2016. As the person referred to has already been called for JobPath, they are no longer eligible for a work placement position and should remain on JobPath.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.