Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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1015. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) will be exempted from the requirement of regularly reporting to Turas Nua; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44619/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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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 this year 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 Community Employment (CE) placement, thus facilitating the combination of the strengths of the two interventions. It will, in particular, enable those people with the JobPath service to not only continue to receive the personalized employment counselling and job search support provided by their JobPath personal advisors but also to avail of a CE placement which will provide valuable occupational activity and work experience.

Application for participation on CE by JobPath customers is entirely voluntary and at their discretion. However, continued engagement with the JobPath service is a condition of opting to avail of both schemes.

The JobPath service has been adapted to cater for those who opt to take up a CE Scheme and all meetings and activities are scheduled to take account of the Scheme commitments. For example if a person is committed to participate in the employment scheme for 5 mornings per week, any JobPath appointments and other interventions will be scheduled for the afternoons. The JobPath service providers will continue to provide all the necessary supports.

I note your concerns regarding travel and health issues of this customer.

The JobPath contract with the service provider stipulates that a person should not have to travel more than 60 minutes in normal circumstances to attend an appointment. Where a person has transport difficulties, the JobPath company can assist the person with travel arrangements tailoring the service around their particular travel requirements. Travel expenses, excluding taxi fares, can also be reimbursed depending on the circumstances.

If a jobseeker feels he/she is unable to participate in an activation service due to health issues they should contact their local Intreo Centre to explore if an illness related social welfare payment may be more appropriate, such as disability allowance, illness benefit, or invalidity pension. However, given the customer has availed of a CE placement, I am confident that by engaging with Turas Nua on these issues the situation can be improved.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.