Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

418. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) may switch from one employment scheme to another which is nearer to their home. [9792/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The customer the Deputy refers to is currently engaged with the JobPath service and has been since August 2016, as part of this he has agreed a Personal Progression Plan with his personal advisor. The JobPath service provides intensive individual support and advice to help customers find full time sustainable employment. If the customer is successful in finding a suitable job, the company will continue to provide support for at least 13 weeks and up to a year while they remain in 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. The JobPath service will engage extensively with the customer for up to 52 weeks. If the customer has not been successful in finding suitable and sustainable employment after this period, placement on other schemes and programmes remain an option which can be discussed with an Intreo case officer.

I note the customer is question has previously participated on a CE scheme. TÚS and CE schemes are intended to help long-term unemployed people re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment through placement on a work experience or training programme for a limited duration; they are not full-time sustainable jobs which are the primary target for the JobPath service.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.