Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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1330. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to consider revising the TÚS programme guidelines for people in receipt of disability allowance, to allow them to remain on the scheme for up to 24 months, or more, if they wish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44641/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Tús is a community work placement initiative which aims to provide short-term work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year. The focus of Tús is on jobseekers that are unemployed for twelve months or more, and the targeted activation of this cohort aims to provide additional assistance and a renewed impetus to these jobseekers who could otherwise be in danger of falling into persistent long-term unemployment.

The duration of each Tús contract, regardless of the qualifying period, is for a maximum of 12 months; a time limit set to ensure that the available placements are open to as many people as possible to ensure that Tús complements the objectives set out in the Government’s activation policies.

In August 2022, the Department introduced a measure to allow a percentage of Tús exits to be further extended, in certain circumstances, for a maximum of six months to allow some flexibility to implementing bodies to retain participants to maintain the delivery of essential community services.

If participants are still unemployed on completion of their Tús placement and continue to require the option of supported employment, further opportunity in this regard is provided by my Department through the Community Employment (CE) scheme. The commencement of a CE placement is available as a progression path for a jobseeker on the completion of Tús, and this can be accessed with the assistance of an employment personal advisor in their local Intreo office.

My Department continues to review all of its activation programmes to ensure the best outcomes for all concerned, however currently there are no plans to extend the scheme from 12 to 24 months for people in receipt of Disability Allowance. Government recognises the value of the Tús programme as a positive initiative involving a large number of placements engaged in valuable service delivery to individuals and communities across Ireland, whilst also enabling the long-term unemployed to up-skill themselves for prospective future employment.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.