Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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999. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the cost to date of the contract with Turas Nua; when the contract will cease; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15054/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Turas Nua is one of two companies contracted to deliver the JobPath service, as part of the State's Public Employment Service. JobPath provides employment assistance and advice to the long-term unemployed in order to assist them secure full-time paid employment.

JobPath is a payment by results model and all set-up and day-to-day operational costs are borne by the companies. The companies are paid on the basis of performance and with the exception of the initial registration fee; payments are made only when a client has achieved sustained employment. The overall cost of JobPath will be determined by the number of people who participate in the programme and the number who get sustainable jobs.  The Department does not publish the individual payments to the JobPath companies as these are commercially sensitive. The total fees paid to the JobPath providers from 2015 to date is €256.9m.

On 22 October 2020, I announced the extension of referrals to the JobPath service for a further twelve months until the end of 2021.  At that time I also announced similar commitments to the Local Employment Services, Job Clubs and EmployAbility to ensure their services extended into 2021.  These measures were taken in order to expand the capacity of my Department's Public Employment Service to ensure that we are in a position to support all those who have lost their employment arising from the economic impacts of Covid-19.  In light of these circumstances, it was deemed prudent to not only retain, but to expand, the existing capacity of our public employment services.

My Department is continuing to examine procurement options for the provision all contracted public employment services in 2022.

I trust that clarifies the matter for the Deputy.