Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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252. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will report on the requests for tenders for a public employment service; the way the request for tenders in phase 2 for regional employment services differ from those in phase 1; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36882/21]

Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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253. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the way in which organisations in the community and voluntary sector will be able to avail of the tender process for a public employment service given that the requirements and funding model in phase 2 of the request for tenders does not lend itself to the community and voluntary sector being able to participate in the tendering process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36883/21]

Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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254. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the geography of the regions of the regional employment services; if there is a minimum number of referrals assured in the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36884/21]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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255. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the way in which the requests for tenders in phase 2 for the regional employment services differ from that of phase 1 given that the requirements and the funding model does not lend itself to the community and voluntary sector being in a position to participate in the tendering process and would be an obstacle to them engaging in it; and the way in which the national employment service will differ from the regional employment services. [36892/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 252 to 255, inclusive, together.

Following on from a review of public employment services in my Department, my officials have commenced a series of procurement exercises to secure appropriate services to engage with the long-term unemployed and other cohorts throughout the State.

The deadline for the submissions of tenders for the first phase has just passed, with tenders sought for a Regional Employment Service, with four lots covering seven counties in the Midlands and the North-West. Any learnings from this process will feed into the second phase.

The second phase, still under development, will see the expansion of the Regional Employment Service throughout the State, as well as the procurement of additional employment services on a national level through a separate request for tenders.

The Regional Employment Service is aimed at cohorts furthest from the labour market and has been designed to be accessible to tenders from the community and voluntary sector, giving due regard to their experience and competencies.

As the request for tenders is still under development, I am not in a position to reveal details of the forthcoming phase two procurement for employment services. However, as with phase one, the emphasis on designing a request for tender that places no obstacles to the community and voluntary sector will remain a guiding principle.