Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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545. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to issues following recent changes which now allow persons on JobPath to also take part in a community employment scheme (details supplied); the reason persons are unable to leave JobPath once they are on a community employment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27602/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware the primary goal of my Department's activation services including the JobPath service, is to move people from full-time and part-time unemployment to full-time and sustained employment.

From 1st June all long term jobseekers who are currently engaged with the JobPath service and those who may be referred in future, have the option of applying for CE and Tús placement, thus facilitating the combination of the strengths of the two programmes. It will, in particular, enable those people with the JobPath service to not only continue to receive the personalised employment counselling and job search support provided by their JobPath personal advisors but also to avail of a Tús or CE placement which will provide valuable occupational activity and work experience.

In making this change I was particularly conscious that case-managed employment counselling and support is shown internationally, and in Ireland, to be the most effective means of supporting people back into sustained employment. I did not wish for people to cease participation in this type of service in order to take up a place on a part-time State employment programme. The decision I have now made enables people to benefit from both types of support.

I was also conscious in taking this decision that the resource constraints that informed the Department's policy up to this point have abated somewhat. In the past the Department operated what was a 'one person-one place' policy in order to ration the available places among all jobseekers. Given the welcome improvement in the labour market with unemployment now down to under 6% this policy can be relaxed slightly.

The JobPath service will be adapted to cater for those who opt to take up a Tús or Community Scheme and all meetings and activities will be scheduled to take account of the Scheme commitments. For example if a person is committed to participate in the employment scheme for 5 mornings, any JobPath meetings and other interventions will be scheduled for the afternoons. The JobPath companies will continue to provide all the supports which it currently provides. CE and Tús providers will not have to make any changes to their operations.

Application for participation on CE and Tús by JobPath customers is entirely voluntary and at their discretion.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.