Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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299. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reasons that a service (details supplied) was shut down; if there are plans to reopen this service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46851/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department recently completed a significant expansion of employment services across the State. This includes the provision of a State-wide intensive employment service for those furthest from the labour market - the new Intreo Partners Local Area Employment Service (IPLAES). This new service will for the first time cover all of County Wicklow.

In a competition run in accordance with EU procurement rules, 17 community and voluntary sector organisations were successful and were awarded contracts to provide the new IPLAES. These contracts replace the previous Local Employment Service and Job Club contracts. 16 of these contracts are now in place and the new service is being mobilised with the support of my Department.

County Wicklow was partnered in a Lot with County Kildare for the purposes of the new employment service. The successful bidder was Bray Area Partnership, with another Kildare-based community body as sub-contractor.

The Wicklow-Kildare IPLAES is part of a State-wide expansion that represents a significant increase in state investment in these services from €23m per annum to €39m per annum exclusive of VAT. The services represent a substantial expansion on employment services previously available to the long term unemployed cohort who will benefit from this new expanded service.

It is forecast that this new service will mean that in the Wicklow-Kildare area some €2.7 million per annum will be spent engaging with those furthest from the labour market, an increase of almost 90% of the previous funding.

I trust this clarifies the position.