Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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37. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons on JobPath in counties Roscommon and Galway since its introduction in July 2015 to 2016 to date in tabular form; the number of persons in counties Roscommon and Galway on community employment schemes over the same time period in tabular form; his views on the impact of JobPath on vital community focused community employment schemes which are now struggling to find eligible participants, which is having a knock-on detrimental effect on communities in rural Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30003/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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My Department provides a range of activation supports catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market to secure and sustain full-time paid employment. These supports include JobPath and Community Employment schemes (CE).

CE schemes provide part-time temporary work in the communities, as a stepping stone back to employment, for people in receipt of a range of social welfare payments including those on a long term jobseeker’s payment. However, CE placements are not full time sustainable jobs.

The JobPath service is provided for jobseekers only. The period of engagement with JobPath for any individual is typically 52 weeks. During that time they receive intensive individual support to help them to overcome barriers to employment and are also provided with a range of training and development supports including online modules, career advice, CV preparation and interview skills. During the year if a person is placed into a job they will continue to receive support for at least three months and up to an additional twelve months while in employment. People who have completed their year long engagement with JobPath may, if eligible, apply to partake in a CE Scheme after they have been assessed by my Department’s Case Officers.

The following table shows the number of people referred to JobPath per month to September 2016 and the numbers of participants on CE Schemes per month for counties Galway and Roscommon. The CE numbers in Galway have decreased marginally (by 49) while the CE numbers in Roscommon have increased marginally (by 15). These figures do not suggest that there are major problems in these counties in finding CE participants. While there may be some individual CE schemes experiencing difficulties from time to time, which is to be expected given the significant drop in the Live Register, it does not necessarily follow that such difficulties would not have arisen if JobPath did not exist. Moreover, in the same period, over 3,500 jobseekers have been supported by the JobPath service. If there is a CE scheme experiencing particular difficulties in recruitment, the sponsor should contact their local DSP office so that the matter may be reviewed.

JobPath column shows the number of clients referred in the monthJobPath clients exit the services after 12 months.

CE column shows the number of participants in the month.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.