Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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1438. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the procedures regarding JobPath and the signing of a personal progression plan; if the procedure has been changed or altered; and if a person in receipt of a welfare payment that is on JobPath is obliged to sign a form. [15776/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The primary goal of the Department’s activation services is to move people from unemployment to full-time and sustained employment. Jobseekers are required to engage with the Department’s activation services and this obligation applies irrespective of whether the service is provided by the Department’s own case officers or those advisors employed by external contractors such as the JobPath providers.

All jobseekers referred to Department’s activation services including those referred to the JobPath service are requested to complete a personal progression plan (PPP) which contains a schedule of activities; actions and job focused targets, taking into account a person’s specific qualifications and employment preferences. The person will be requested to sign the PPP as an indication of their agreement to the activation measures contained in the document. Should a customer fail to agree a PPP it may be one of a number of factors that would be considered by a Deciding Officer of my Department when considering a penalty rate of payment for non-engagement with activation services.

The process for sanctioning clients who do not engage with the JobPath activation process is exactly the same as the process for clients who fail to engage with the Department’s other activation services provided by Intreo Centres, Local Employment Services and Job Clubs.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.