Fears for future of Job Clubs in Offaly

There are strong fears that the invaluable Job Clubs in Offaly will be phased out because of a government strategy.

Job Clubs serve the long term unemployed across Ireland, including the Offaly towns of Portarlington and Tullamore, as well as Birr.

Supporters of Job Clubs are very worried by a move by the Department of Social Protection to issue a request for tender to expand local employment services in some regions.

Job Clubs are run by Local Development Companies (LDC). Birr Job Club is run by Offaly Local Development Company. Some in the LDC network see the Department's move as an attempt to replace the Job Club service with a new for-profit service that is not supported by any stakeholder group or research body in Ireland. A December deadline has been given for the closure of the Job Clubs.

Deputy Brian Stanley said the new model is a 'ruthless shift' to a service which will put profit over people.

"It's a ruthless move away from the person-centred approach so successfully fostered by these Job Clubs,” he stated