Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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173. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if the new gateway scheme operated between the Department of Social Protection and the local authorities is being considered in parallel with the workforce planning under way in his Department; if so, is there possible progression to work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10299/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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My colleague the Minister for Social Protection has put in place an initiative called Gateway to provide short-term quality working opportunities in local authorities for those on the live register for a minimum of two years.  Gateway is fulfilling the obligation in the Government’s programmes Pathways to Work and the Action Plan for Jobs which sets out specific commitments to widen and deepen the way in which local authorities support labour market activation schemes.  The recruitment process is currently under way in most local authority areas and it is anticipated that there will be 3,000 placements in local authorities by end-2014.

Contracts for individual placements are not likely to exceed 22 months in duration and will contain development elements appropriate to the skill base of each individual.  There is no provision for progress to employment in local authorities outside normal recruitment procedures.

Separate to this process and in order to support the local government sector in effectively managing the combination of staff reductions and the very significant change programmes under way in terms of, inter alia, the Action Programme for Effective Local Government, the establishment of Irish Water and the Local Government Shared Services Programme, Workforce Planning is under way and a Sectoral Work-Force Study has been undertaken jointly by local authorities and my Department.

My Department is currently working with local authorities bilaterally regarding implementation of the Study’s other recommendations. The Gateway Initiative is not part of this process.