Government fills just 781 of 3,000 places on Gateway scheme

The Government has filled less than 800 places on its Gateway job activation programme in the last 20 months, yet still believes it can reach its 3,000 target by year-end.

Social Protection Minister Joan Burton confirmed that, as of September 19, 781 places had been taken up on the scheme.

Under the terms of the Gateway initiative, dole claimants who have been on the Live Register for more than two years are paid an extra €20 per week on top of their jobseeker’s allowance to work for city and county councils.

It was intended that each council would take on up to 295 people, depending on its size.

Yet Dublin City Council, which had a target of 295, only had 15 filled as of last week.

The figures in a number of other local authorities are not much better.

For example, in Clare County Council, just two positions have been taken up, while in Waterford City Council, nobody has been willing to join the initiative.

Other councils are proving much more successful in attracting participants.

For example, Limerick County Council has filled 85 positions.

Those who join the scheme work an average of 19.5 hours per week in areas such as village enhancement schemes; landscaping; tourism ambassadors; animal control; and libraries.

Each placement lasts for 22 months.

The Department of Social Protection said the initiative aims to improve the employability and maintain the work-readiness of those who have been unemployed for 24 months or more.

Ms Burton, in a response to a parliamentary question from Fine Gael TD Jim Daly, said the responsibility for delivery of Gateway rested with individual county and city councils and she said sufficient resources are available to provide for 3,000 placements this year.

“Work is ongoing with the Department of the Environment& and the County and City Management Association to ensure the target of 3,000 placements will be filled by the end of 2014,” she said.

Ms Burton said data had been collected in respect of 9,433 jobseekers who had been selected to date for Gateway.

She said data showed that seven jobseekers were subject to sanctions resulting in the temporary disallowance (up to a maximum of nine weeks) of their jobseekers’ payments for failure to engage with the initiative.

“A further 99 jobseekers’ claims have been closed following engagement between departmental officials and jobseekers. In some of these cases, a different DSP payment was deemed more appropriate to the individual’s circumstances,” she said.

“No jobseeker will be compelled to take up a Gateway position that would result in a decrease in the value of their family income or impose other hardships. Review processes are ongoing in a number of other cases of jobseekers who have not taken up the offer of engagement.”