Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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169. To ask the Minister for Social Protection his views on the outsourcing of particular aspects of unemployment services here to private companies, for example, through the JobPath scheme; if he has had discussions with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation regarding international trade deals such as CETA and the potential impact they may have on the delivery of social protection services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26197/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the State’s Public Employment Service is managed by my Department and delivered directly by its own Intreo service as well as by contracted private companies, such as JobPath, Local Employment Service (LES) and Job Club providers. The Department has contracts in place with over 60 companies for the provision of these services.

It is important to note, that while these service elements are provided by third parties, jobseekers engaged with these services remain customers of the Department.

The companies themselves employ a large number of staff, with circa 600 staff being employed by Jobpath providers, circa 300 by LES providers and circa 100 by Job Club providers. It is the role of these staff to support and assist jobseekers to enter / re-enter employment in the open labour market.

In addition, it is important to note, that the Department has for many years contracted extensively with third parties for the delivery of a range of other services including community based programmes and schemes.

JobPath is a contract model whereby the providers are paid by results, in other words they are paid when they achieve sustained employment outcomes for jobseekers. This payment model contrasts with the approach used to fund the LES and Job Clubs where the providers are paid by inputs. In other words they are paid an amount that is agreed at the beginning of each year based on forecast activity levels. The success or otherwise of the Local Employment Service or Job Clubs provider in securing employment for jobseekers does not affect the payment amount.

When JobPath was developed fears were expressed that it would take-over from or substitute for the LES. However this was not the intention and it has not happened. The purpose of JobPath was, and is, to complement and augment the existing service capacity of the Department including the LES. In fact, the capacity introduced by JobPath has enabled the Department, in line with international norms, to reduce the workload of LES mediators and enhance the service being delivered by the LES: by reducing the LES staff caseloads to a maximum of 1:120 jobseekers.

The department continues to monitor the services being delivered by the various companies in order to provide the best possible service for jobseekers.

In relation to the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), this will not affect the delivery of social protection services

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.