Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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371. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if persons are still being referred to JobPath. [13014/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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In parallel with the Intreo service, our contracted public employment services - including JobPath, paused and resumed activation for new referrals during 2020 and 2021 in line with public health advice.

In December, in light of the continuing adverse impacts of Covid-19 and on foot of extending the period of consultation with the relevant stakeholders, it was agreed to extend all contracted public employment service contracts, including the Local Employment Service and JobPath contracts - for a further twenty six weeks until the end of June 2022. This measure was taken in order to ensure that the public employment service has sufficient capacity to support those impacted by the pandemic with access to employment services.

Referrals to JobPath will cease at the end of June.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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372. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person who is engaging with JobPath is obliged to sign a personal progression plan; and if they refuse to do so, if they can face sanctions. [13015/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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All jobseekers referred for the assistance of the employment support services, including those referred to the JobPath service, are asked to complete an assessment of their skills, qualifications, and work experience for the purpose of agreeing a personal progression plan. The personal progression plan typically contains a schedule of activities, actions and job-focused targets, taking into account the person’s specific employment preferences. Jobseekers are asked to sign the personal progression plan as an indication of their agreement to carry out the activation measures contained in the document. They are not obliged to sign but their agreement is noted.

All jobseekers are required under the legislation to fully engage with the employment support service in this and all other respects. The personal progression plan is a crucial element of each jobseeker’s engagement with any of the Department’s employment support services and generally will be a document that will be reviewed throughout the person’s engagement period as they develop employment related skills and competencies or job related experience from short periods of employment.

All contracted public employment service providers do not apply or recommend the application of a penalty rate of payment. They simply advise my Department if a jobseeker is failing to engage with employment services. Officials in my Department then contact the Jobseeker and seek to arrange a meeting to discuss the matter directly with them.