To ask the Minister for Employment and Learning, pursuant to AQW 48284/11-16, for his assessment of the indirect impacts on European Social Fund targets caused by the inability of young people to join or complete European Social Fund programmes due to being mandated onto Steps 2 Success.

Under the European Social Fund (ESF) 2014-2020 Programme, key outcomes and targets relate specifically to the progression of participants, whether that is into employment or into further training. Whilst the Programme has overall targets in this respect, each individual project funded under the Programme also has specific targets relating to the progression of participants. As such, ESF Project Promoters will be keenly involved to ensure that participants are in a position to progress in either respect, and therefore contribute to the achievement of the overall Programme targets.

Where a potential Steps 2 Success participant is already engaged in Departmental provision, such as the ESF Programme, then my Department is permitted to allow a further 90-day period of participation before the individual is mandated to participate on Steps 2 Success. This will allow, when required, for many ESF participants to complete their training, given the relatively short-term nature of most provision under the ESF Programme.

However, as part of my Department’s ongoing process of monitoring progress against targets under the ESF Programme, I will be keeping this matter under continuous review.