Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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28. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the tender process for all public employment services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14819/22]

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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86. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the details of the plan to tender out existing local employment services by region and the date to be implemented in each case; the cost to date of organising these tendering competitions in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14868/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 86 together.

My Department is currently undertaking a significant expansion of employment services.  In particular, specialised employment services for those farthest from the labour market - currently available in just twelve counties - will soon be available State-wide for the first time.  

In the first phase of this procurement, contracts for Intreo Partners - Local Area Employment Services (LAES) were agreed in late 2021 across four lots in seven counties in the Midlands and North-East.  These new services are now operational and accepting referrals.  

Phase two of the Intreo Partners - LAES procurement commenced with the publication of the request for tender on 21 December last.  My Department recently extended the deadline for tenders to 19 April to ensure all interested parties, including the non-profit sector, have sufficient time to prepare quality tender responses that reflect their experience and capacity to deliver a quality service.  It is envisaged that these will be in place during July.

Also, a request for tenders for the Intreo Partner National Employment Service was published on 3 March, also with a deadline of 19 April.  This service will focus primarily on jobseekers on the Live Register for between twelve and twenty-four months.  

As the procurement is being undertaken within my Department and within existing resources, with the assistance of the Chief State Solicitor's Office, there is no separate additional cost incurred in organising these procurements.