Written answers

Tuesday, 14 February 2017

Department of Social Protection

JobPath Implementation

Photo of Mattie McGrathMattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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287. To ask the Minister for Social Protection his views on concerns regarding a service provider (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6896/17]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Ireland’s Public Employment Service (PES) is managed by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) and delivered directly by its own Intreo service as well as by contracted private companies, such as JobPath providers, Local Employment Services (LES) and Job Club providers. The activation supports and services which are available to those who are long term unemployed include JobPath, Community Employment Scheme (CE) and TÚS. The JobPath service procured by the Department provides additional resources to enable it to provide a high quality, case managed employment support service for people who are long term unemployed and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed.

Following a public procurement process, two preferred tenderers were selected. Turas Nua Ltd. and Seetec Ltd. Turas Nua provide the service in the southern half of the country and Seetec in the northern half of the country.

The aim of the JobPath service is to assist such Jobseekers to obtain and sustain full time paid employment. The Community Employment scheme provides part time employment opportunities in local communities as a stepping stone back to employment for people on a range of Social Welfare payments including those on long term unemployment payments; it does not provide full-time sustainable employment.

Jobseekers can only participate with one activation scheme or service at a time; this is to ensure that the best use is made of the available places and to allow the scheme and service providers’ time to work with the participants. However, in a small number of exceptional cases, which are assessed on a case by case basis, my Department may facilitate a person to move from one activation support to another.

The JobPath service is provided for jobseekers only, the referral period is typically for a year and when engaging with the JobPath service, they remain on their jobseeker’s payment and on the live register until such time as they are successful in finding employment. During that time they receive intensive personal support to find a sustainable full time job. At the end of the 52 weeks, Jobseekers who have not been successful in finding suitable employment may, subject to an assessment by an Intreo case officer, apply for other activation supports such as CE.

Under the contracts for the provision of the service, there are strict obligations placed on the providers by the Department with regard to data protection, including that data cannot be shared with third parties. Both companies are also contractually required to register with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner and are subject to the same provisions of data protection legislation as Departmental staff. Data protection legislation requires that personal data shall be kept only for one or more specified and lawful purposes and that personal data shall be used and disclosed only in ways compatible with these purposes. Any breach or suspected breach of the data protection legislation, in addition to being investigated by the Department, will also be a matter for the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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