COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, September 09, 2013

QUESTION NO. 10

QUESTION: Councillor W. Lavelle

To ask the Manager, further to my motion to the January meeting, for details of this council's involvement, or proposed involvement, in the new Local Authority Social Employment Scheme; in particular with respect to any proposals for use of this scheme to augment ongoing efforts to enhance our public realm including maintenance of our parks?

REPLY:

The Action Plan for Jobs sets out the Governments enhanced labour market activation strategy which sets out to maximise the number of positions than can be filled by those who are currently unemployed .  The scheme recognises the limited public resources at our disposal but notes that activation measures are targetted at those groups who are most at risk of long term unemployment as well as those who would benefit most from interventions.

As part of this Initiative  The Minister for Social Protection confirmed that these include 2,500 JobBridge places, 2,500 places on the Tús scheme, an additional 2, 000 community employment scheme places as well as   3,000 places in local authority social employment schemes.  The   scheme to be called "Gateway" is an initiative to reduce unemployment.   Work placements are a valuable route for participants to gain or update experience of the workplace, to learn new skills and to return to the routine of work. The scheme will assist the personal and social development of participants by providing short term work opportunities with the objective of bridging the gap between unemployment and re-entering the workforce.  

Participants must have been in receipt of jobseekers allowance for a minimum of 24 months.

Participants will be provided with a Fixed Term Contract (22Months only) between the individual and the Local Authority. Participants will work 19.5 hours per week / 39 hours per fortnight and will receive a payment equivalent to their rate of Jobseekers Allowance plus €20.00 per week with a minimum payment of €208.00 per week.

There are currently 13 pilot local authorities , who are in the process of receiving lists of potential participants from the Department of Social Protection, and the local authorities will then begin the recruitment process.

South Dublin County Council are not one of the Pilot Local Authorities , however in anticipation of the roll out of the scheme nationally, preliminary discussions have been held both internally and with the relevant Trade Unions to identify a broad range of opportunities that could be provided within this local authority and discussions have also been held with the relevant local Department of Social Protection representatives. 

South Dublin County Council will continue to identify relevant opportunities and also monitor the pilot local authorities to identify best practice before the roll out of the scheme nationally.