Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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309. To ask the Minister for Social Protection his plans to, in specific and exceptional cases, extend the Tús programme from a one-year programme to a two-year programme which will help local supervisors on the ground to utilise efficiently and in line with the objectives of the programme, the participants available to them in a particular area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5612/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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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 twelve-month duration of a Tús work placement reflects a number of inter-related issues. These include the need to ensure that the places on the scheme are open to the maximum number of people on the Live Register. It also ensures that weaknesses identified in other work programmes resulting from longer duration placements are not replicated. Furthermore, the twelve-month term ensures that the scheme fits with the objectives set out in the Government’s activation policies, including Pathways to Work.

In this context the existing twelve months placement period on Tús is considered to be optimal in meeting the scheme’s objectives and I have no plans to change it.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.