Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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563. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the remaining service within a service (details supplied) given the tendering process under way for the new local area employment service, which is to replace the existing services provided by the local employment service and job clubs; if her Department still plans to publish a tender for this service; and, if so, the timeframe for the tender. [10099/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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In 2019 and 2020, the Institute of Employment Studies and Social Finance undertook a review of all contracted employment services, including EmployAbility. The review and proposed changes to the EmployAbility procurement model are under consideration though significant changes is unlikely before contracts starting in 2023.

The review did recommend, amongst other things, competitive procurement, moving from annual to multi-annual contracts and a significant expansion of capacity.

EmployAbility currently operates as a closed tender process, confined to an existing service provider in a particular geographical area. It is only when an existing provider is no longer in a position to provide the contracted service that a new contractor is sought. The Department received legal advice from the CSSO regarding the closed tender process for externally contracted employment services, including EmployAbility. The advice stated that these contractors were obliged to be competitively procured.

Departmental officials visited every EmployAbility service in the State as part of a consultation process in Q4 2019. However, progress towards reforming employment services for people with disabilities was slowed by Covid-19, though there are still plans to examine the current provisions with a view to making them entirely consistent with EU law.

My Department is aware of the key importance of ongoing engagement with this sector before significant changes are undertaken.