1. Ireland’s National Employment Action Plan Preventive Strategy
MISEP meeting
Paris, 3rd November 2008
Nessan Vaughan
FÁS – Training and Employment Authority

2. Employment Action Plan (EAP)
Milestones
Process
Supports
Outcomes
Evaluation
Next Steps

3. Employment Action Plan (EAP)
Under the EAP, persons in receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit or Allowance (JB/JA) who reach various duration thresholds on the Live Register, are identified by the Department of Social and Family Affairs (DSFA) and referred to FÁS for interview, with a view to assisting them enter/re-enter employment. This is part of the Government’s response to the EU Employment Guidelines

4. EAP Milestones Date Roll-Out September 1998
Under 25 years at six months
(In addition, 1st March 1999 – Under 25 years at 18 months)
May 1999
25 – 35 years – reaching 12 months on Live Register
October 1999
Pilot Scheme in Kilkenny and Ballyfermot – all persons on LR for six months – ran until May 2000
February 2000
35 – 55 at 12 months on Live Register
July 2000
25 – 55 at 9 months on Live Register
March 2003
25 – 55 at six months on Live Register
July 2006
November 2006
56 – 65 at six months on Live Register
18 – 65 at three months on Live Register

5. EAP Process
Electronic transfer of files from the Department of Social and Family Affairs (DSFA) to FÁS of persons approaching 3 months in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance/ Benefit (approx 1,600 per week)
Client offered interview appointment with FÁS on reaching 3 months unemployment
FÁS Employment Services Officer (ESO) assigned to meet with and support client

6. Process (ii)
ESO ‘caseloads’ client to track and record each interaction, i.e. meetings, contact, support offered/ provided, outcomes, etc.
FÁS reports to DSFA, by electronic communication, on client process – did not attend (if applicable), support provided (referred to training/ employment programme), placed in employment, not progression ready, declined intervention, etc.

7. EAP Supports Each client ‘caseloaded’ by ESO
Client agrees Action Plan with ESO in relation to entering/ re-entering employment
Client receives priority in relation to all FÁS options – training/ employment programmes, jobs clubs, access to customised supports, job vacancy matching etc.
Technical Employment Support fund – customised flexible employment and training support grant

8. Supports (ii)
High Support Process (HSP) – multi-agency teams, €2500 to purchase intervention, if necessary
Pathways – group guidance to provide mutual support, motivation and Action Plan in a group context
Increased contact with Employers (increased market share)
Enhanced self-help facilities

9. Supports (iii)
If client requires a more intensive Guidance service and other more long term supports, they may be referred by FÁS to Local Employment Services (LES).
LES: community-based, independent companies, contracted by FÁS to deliver services to clients considered most distant from the labour market.
LES Mediator ‘caseloads’ clients using FÁS Caseload Management System
LES provides a range of customised and enhanced supports, including access to Mediator Fund
LES referrals also receive priority from FÁS in relation to training/ employment programmes etc

10. Supports (iv)
Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment (DETE), DSFA and FÁS overall Management
DSFA/FÁS Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) sets out framework
High level Inter-Departmental meetings to agree on policy and administrative issues
Regional FÁS/DSFA meetings to monitor the operation of the EAP/develop appropriate regional strategies
Quarterly meetings held at local FÁS/DSFA level to resolve operational matters relating to EAP and other issues of mutual concern

11. Outcomes
2004
2005
2006
2007
No. of clients referred
52,328
40,718
37,959
51,452
No. of clients interviewed
35,136
28,714
25,186
32,124
No of clients placed in Employment/ Training/ Education
9,718
6,804
8,783
11,088
% of clients* who left the Live Register
58%
60%
59%
63%
* Approximately 73% of clients have left the Register one year later

12. EAP Evaluation Commissioned by DETE in conjunction with FÁS and DSFA
Undertaken by Indecon International Economic Consultants following a tender evaluation (September 2005)

13. Evaluation (ii) 143,216 total referrals from DSFA to FÁS (1999 – 2003)
DSFA increased referrals to FÁS from 21,702 in 1999 to 43,595 in 2003
Approx. cost of EAP €15.5m (2004)

14. Evaluation (iii) Main findings: EAP is largely a success
Process encouraged early exit from Live Register and appears to have reduced likelihood of long-term unemployment
Participation impacts positively and significantly on Labour Market outcomes
Likely savings to unemployment payments up to 5% of total expenditures - net benefit of €35million per annum
Reasonable level of satisfaction with the process among significant numbers of participants, although this was not uniform and some did not feel this was of assistance

15. Evaluation (IV) Main Recommendations
Continuation of the EAP
Extend to selected other groups
Maintain multi-faceted approach to supports
Review supports for ‘Not Progression-Ready’ groups – intensify high support process; review all ‘NPR’ clients
Intensive follow-up of all EAP clients back on Live Register

16. Evaluation (V) Main Recommendations (cont’d)
Greater use of Local Employment Services
Procedure for dealing with ‘Declined Intervention’ Group
Improvements to MIS and IT Co-operation between FÁS and DSFA
Maximise FÁS Employment Services Officer resource
Immediate referral of 18 year olds

17. EAP Next Steps - 18/19 Year Olds (to commence shortly on a text basis)
Continue to apply the process to all persons on reaching 3 months in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance/ Benefit
Further develop appropriate supports/ interventions
Pilot activation of other target groups
Further extend activation process to other DSFA clients who are unemployed and in line with commitments under Towards 2016 (National Partnership Agreement) and the National Development Plan
- 18/19 Year Olds (to commence shortly on a text basis)
- Re- Referrals
- People in receipt of One Parent Family Payment
- People with a Disability

18. Next Steps (ii)
Update FÁS/ DSFA Memorandum of Understanding to reflect these commitments and to effect further and closer collaboration in the interest of our clients
Review and update, if necessary, FÁS/ LES protocols and contracts in conjunction with PLANET (Network of Area Partnership Companies)
Implement FÁS/ DSFA Action Plan in response to Indecon Review

19. Thank You