Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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433. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 822 of 13 May 2025, the total amount of public funding paid by his Department to the private JobPath providers, Seetec and Turas Nua, for the period June 2022 to June 2024, during the runoff phase of the programme (details supplied); if any payments have been made to either company since June 2024; if so, what was payment for; if such payments were made post-June 2024, if these were made within the terms of the original contracts; the financial arrangements and oversight in relation to the winding down of the JobPath programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27584/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Department contracted, through a procurement process, Turas Nua and Seetec as employment service providers in 2015 under the JobPath Programme. Referrals to the JobPath service concluded in June 2022 and the service ceased completely in June 2024. Contractors continued to provide services to clients referred before July 2022 during the run-down period until June 2024 within the terms of the contract.

Since its commencement in 2015 the service supported people who are long-term unemployed to secure and sustain full time paid employment in the open labour market, and was part of a range of employment supports for jobseekers and employers which has contributed to the current record employment levels in the State. Some 351,319 jobseekers commenced an engagement period with the JobPath service, of whom 88,926 jobseekers secured employment during their engagement period. Of those who commenced employment 37,454 jobseekers, 42%, sustained this employment for a period of 52 weeks or more.

Independent research undertaken into progress achieved in helping people into employment compared to other support mechanisms, including an econometric evaluation has shown that people who availed of Jobpath had 26% more job outcomes than people who did not use the service and also that people who secured employment via Jobpath remained in employment for longer and with higher earnings.

The OECD published a report in January 2022 concerning contracting of employment services through outcome-based payment schemes. In this report the OECD specifically states that Ireland’s JobPath programme led to strongly positive employment and earnings outcomes across a variety of hard to place client groups

Employment is now at among the highest levels in the history of the State, with almost 2.8 million people in employment. As part of a restructuring of employment services, my Department has increased its own employment service capacity delivered through Intreo and has expanded employment services in some areas of the State where there were no Local Employment Services with the introduction of the new Intreo Partners model; the Intreo Partners Local Area Employment Service and the Intreo Partners National Employment Service.

A distinctive client journey has been embedded into the employment services process, whereby jobseekers on the Live Register, after engaging with Intreo in the first twelve months are referred firstly to the Intreo Partner National Employment Service and after 24 months to the Intreo Partner Local Area Employment Service which is designed to engage with those with greater barriers to the labour market. In this way, the client is referred to the most appropriate service at each point in time on their client journey.

The JobPath wind down and subsequent contract exit including all financial and operational matters was conducted in adherence with the governance framework outlined in the JobPath agreement and its associated schedules and protocols

JobPath was a payment by results model with all set-up and day-to-day operational costs borne by the companies. The companies were paid on the basis of performance and with the exception of the initial registration fee; payments were made only when a client had achieved sustained employment. The table below indicates the total amount paid to JobPath contractors from June 2022 to June 2024 which includes €385k paid after June 2024 following receipt of final invoices post contract cessation. All expenditure associated with JobPath relates to clients referred to contractors and engaged with prior to contract cessation.

Please note the figures provided are expenditure, net of any discounts, and do not take into account the savings made in respect of welfare payments for those who secured sustained employment or in any resulting increase in tax receipts.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.