Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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422. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she can clarify if Seetec have been awarded the contract for operating the JobPath programme; the costs of this award; the length of time the company will operate it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29665/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, referrals to the JobPath service have ceased and the service is now in a run-off phase, with only clients referred up to June 2022 remaining engaged with the service.

Following comprehensive procurement processes, new Intreo Partners employment services were introduced to engage with the long-term unemployed and other clients as appropriate.

Seetec operates two employment service contracts on behalf of my Department; an Intreo Partners Local Area Employment Service (IPLAES) which engages with clients, often with multiple barriers to the labour market, in the Longford-Westmeath area and an Intreo Partners National Employment Service (IPNES) contract covering the counties of Dublin, Louth, Meath, Cavan, Monaghan, Westmeath, Longford, Roscommon, Leitrim, Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal.

IPLAES contracts are for 36 months, with the option of two extensions of up to 12 months each. A run-off period of 12 months is also provided for. IPNES contracts are for 48 months, with the option of two extensions of up to 12 months each. A run-off period of 12 months is also provided for.

The specific contract costs are considered commercial sensitive information and are not publicly available.

I trust this clarifies the mater for the Deputy.