Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

522. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to research that suggests changing the local employment scheme services from their current model to a target and profit driven model as currently envisioned by her Department will and has in other jurisdictions have profoundly negative effects on the unemployed and the services provided generally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34914/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department engaged with the Institute of Employment Studies and Social Finance in 2019 to research and develop best practice models for new employment services.  These bodies have established track-records of helping governments develop fit-for-purpose employment services.  My Department engaged with these consultants, ensuring their models were appropriately configured for the Irish market, reflecting the unique strengths of the providers of employment services here while respecting the legal requirement for competitive procurement.  As part of their work the consultants engaged extensively with relevant stakeholders including those delivering the local employment service contracts. 

Prior to this engagement Indecon had undertaken extensive reviews of both the Local Employment Service and Job Club services.  The findings from the Indecon reviews in 2018 were factored into the design of the revised contracted public employment service model. 

One of the innovations of the Intreo Partners Local Area Employment Service is the minimising of the performance-based payment elements of the payment for services aimed at those farthest from the labour market.  This recognises the challenges these clients face is securing employment, giving employment services the space and time to address the obstacles to employment without penalising the providers financially.  This approach reflects both the input of external consultants and the Department's own extensive engagement with stakeholders.

I am confident that the Intreo Partners Local Area Employment Service, once rolled out across the State in the coming months, will significantly expand high quality employment service provision across the entire State for the first time.  It will engage with and support those farthest for the labour market with personalised solutions that addresses their obstacles to progressing towards employment.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

523. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will commission an independent inquiry (details supplied) into the record, outcomes and overall impact of contracting out employment services to agencies such as Seetec and Turas Nua; if so, if the inquiry will include a survey of the experiences of those unemployed who have passed through the system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34915/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In 2018 Indecon, on behalf of the Department, undertook two detailed reviews into the Local Employment Service (LES) and Job Clubs.  These reviews made a series of recommendations on the design and operation of contracted public employment services. In 2019 my Department commissioned an independent review of the provision of employment advisory services, including JobPath, Local Employment Services and Job Clubs.  This review conducted by the Institute of Employment Studies and Social Finance, reviewed the provision of services and made recommendations for the future restructuring and procurement of services.  The consultants commissioned by the Department consulted independently with a sample of existing providers that they had selected.  

All external providers of employment advisory services are subject to regular audits and inspections.  In addition, and specific to the provision of JobPath services, my Department commissions regular independent Customer Satisfaction Surveys to ensure that services are being delivered satisfactorily from the viewpoint of the customer.  All of the evidence indicates that the experience of the majority of customers who have engaged with the JobPath service to date has been quite positive. 

The Department have published the results of a number of these independent Customer Satisfaction Survey that have been commissioned since 2016.  These surveys are available on the Department’s website on Gov.ie.  These surveys provide a qualitative evaluation of the standard of service provided by the JobPath contractors.  The most recent published survey would be that which was carried out in Dec 2021 and the results of this are published on my Department's website.

In addition to the independently commissioned Customer Satisfaction Survey, the 2019 econometric review of JobPath undertaken by my Department in partnership with the OECD noted that the weekly employment earnings of people who secured employment with the JobPath service are 17% higher than the weekly employment earnings of people who secured employment without the support of JobPath in 2018.  Taken with the 26% improvement in employment outcomes in the same period, it means the overall positive employment/earnings impact is 37% in 2018 for those supported by the JobPath service.  These findings indicate that jobseekers who engage with JobPath are significantly more likely to get a positive employment outcome than those not supported by the service.  The evidence to date, published by the Department indicates that employment outcomes among people on JobPath are higher than non-participants. 

I would also refer the Deputy to the published C&AG Report, which provides a detailed description of the JobPath service along with analysis and commentary on the service.  The Chapter on the JobPath Service is available on the C&AG website.