Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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280. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) will be allowed to remain on a Tús scheme. [35928/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, Tús was set up to provide short-term work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year. It is designed to break the cycle of unemployment and maintain work readiness, thereby improving a person’s opportunities of returning to the labour market. In addition, as a community work placement scheme, Tús provides valuable services to local communities.

The 12 month duration of a Tús work placement was set to reflect a number of inter-related requirements. These include the need to ensure that the limited numbers of placements available are open to the maximum number of people on the live register, that weaknesses identified in other work programmes resulting from longer duration placements are not replicated and the need to ensure that the scheme fits with the objectives set out in the Government’s activation policies including Pathways to Work. The existing placement period on Tús ensures that as many unemployed people as possible are able to benefit from the scheme and it is considered to be optimal in meeting the scheme’s objectives. Currently, there are no circumstances under which a person’s term on Tús can be extended.

With the welcome reductions in the live register, the eligibility criteria for work programmes, including Tús, will continue to be monitored to ensure that the schemes remains fit for purpose and that the eligibility conditions continue to be appropriate.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Minister.