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

105. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the meetings that she or her officials have had or plan to have with representatives and workers in Local Employment Services who have had or are in danger of having their jobs replaced as a result of the current policy of tendering out these positions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38522/22]

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

My Department is engaged in a process, since 2019, of reviewing and expanding public employment services across the State.  It has had well in excess of over 140 engagements with the community sector during this process.  My officials have also engaged with and met the trade unions SIPTU and Forsa to hear their concerns regarding the interests of their members who are employed in the community sector and whose employers are contractors to my Department.  Senior officials have had formal meetings with SIPTU specific to the ongoing restructuring of services on multiple occasions.  

The preferred bidders for the new Intreo Partners Local Area Employment Services have just been notified.  The next step is the finalising of contracts and the commencement of referrals to the new service.  Pending this, the finalising of contracts and the commencement of referrals to the new service, my Department has extended the contracts of most LES and Job Clubs until the end of August. 

In circumstances where existing providers chose not to bid for the new services or were unsuccessful then I would expect that, as a first option, providers should look to redeploy any staff affected to other functions within their organisations.  However, where this is not possible, and if these employers are unable to finance redundancy payments, then my Department's Redundancy and Insolvency service will, in accordance with relevant legislation, be able to make provision for statutory redundancy payments for any affected staff. 

The employer under the terms of the contracts for these services retains full responsibility for staff matters.  My Department is not the employer but has in this context with met trade union representatives at their request to discuss their concerns.  My officials will continue to facilitate these requests from trade union representatives.