Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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306. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if there has been a review of piloting a scheme similar to the youth guarantee for lone parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3206/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The implementation of a youth guarantee in the context of the Pathways to Work strategy was to ensure that young people were supported and positioned to benefit from the recovery in employment. This focused on engaging with, and supporting, long term unemployed and young jobseekers on the Live Register on a pathway into employment.

The Pathways to Work action plan includes an action related to lone parents which is to carry out a value for money review of the Jobseeker's Transitional Payment. This will now be incorporated into the Independent Review of the OFP reforms as set down in legislation. My Department is currently drafting the Request for Tender for this review.

While there are no further Pathways to Work actions that cover the activation of lone parents as a specific target group, I must highlight that all lone parents on a Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) or Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) have access to activation supports. Lone parents on a One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) can avail of activation supports voluntarily if they so wish.

The activation of JST recipients has commenced. These customers are being engaged with by Intreo Case Officers in a supportive way via a one to one meeting where they get assistance to develop a personal progression plan. This plan can include education, training and employment supports. This approach is tailored to the needs of lone parents and the supports are available for up to seven years while they remain on JST. Given that this targeted and extensive support already exists I have no plans to implement anything further at this time.

Of the current cohort of JST recipients (approximately 14,500) there are currently over 6,000 in an Activation phase i.e. they have already been selected for activation and have been case managed, are scheduled for an engagement or are awaiting an appointment time.

Over 3,000 have been fully case managed which means they have met with a Case Officer and have agreed a personal plan and are progressing with this plan. Of these approximately 1,600 have moved into some form of education and training ranging from personal development, to childcare to third level education. In total over 9,000 have been activated to date.

Former OFP recipients who moved to a JA Payment i.e. those with a youngest child 14 year of age or older, gain access to the Intreo supports via the standard activation process for jobseekers commencing with a group engagement with a Case Officer.