John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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534. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of referrals made to the local employment service in 2018, by office. [10322/19]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Local Employment Services (LES) engages primarily with long-term unemployed jobseekers, but may also engage with short-term unemployed jobseekers where a local need arises. Jobseekers are referred directly to the LES by Intreo offices.

The following table reflects the numbers of activation customers who attended/engaged with the Local Employment Service, by provider, in 2018. The engagement period can last for up to 12 months. The Department records when a customer attends/engages with the LES service and some of the numbers below may include those persons who were referred towards the end of 2017, but who attended/engaged with the service in 2018. The numbers are reflective of the volume of customers who will have received activation assistance from the LES service in 2018 represents an increase of just over 2000 customers compared to 2017.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.