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Foreword from the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton I welcome the publication of the Department of Social Protection’s Annual Report for 2015. The developments that are outlined in the report show clearly the progress that has been made in implementing real and significant improvements in the Department, which has, in essence, been transformed from a passive benefits provider to a delivery-focused, innovative organisation that puts the client firmly at the centre of all its activities. The report is also a reflection of the Government’s commitment to providing a social protection system that meets the challenges faced by Irish society. The expenditure of some €20 billion for the provision of social protection services in 2015 underpins that commitment. I was particularly pleased with the introduction of a range of targeted improvements for welfare recipients, as part of Budget 2016, including the first increase in weekly pension rates since 2009 and the restoration, to the value of 75 per cent, of the Christmas bonus, which benefited some 1.2 million social welfare recipients and provided a boost to the domestic economy. There is no doubt that the Department of Social Protection played a pivotal role in 2015 in supporting Ireland’s economic progress. The single most important aspect of that progress has been in the initiatives targeted at jobseekers. Each new job created brings with it real and tangible benefits to the individual and, in many cases, to the families they support. Unemployment has fallen from a crisis peak of 15.1 per cent in 2012 to 8.8 per cent at the beginning of 2016 and, while there is much more work to do, the Intreo service, which has integrated the employment services previously offered by FÁS and the welfare services previously provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE), is paying real dividends for jobseekers. An independent customer satisfaction survey of jobseekers, conducted towards the end of 2015, found that 75 per cent of those surveyed believed that the Intreo service had improved their prospects of getting a job. The survey was contracted by the Department, in keeping with commitments under the government strategy Pathways to Work, to help jobseekers into work, training and education. After becoming Minister for Social Protection in March 2011, I became more directly aware of the vital role of the Department in the life of the nation. The schemes and services operated by the Department benefit everyone in society, either directly or indirectly, and it is fitting that the Department has a continuous focus on modernising service delivery in order to provide modern, efficient and dynamic services to its diverse customer base. The staff of the Department of Social Protection can be justifiably proud of their achievements in 2015 and I thank them for their valued contribution and commitment to change during a very challenging period. Joan Burton T.D. Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection
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Brollach ón Tánaiste agus Aire Coimirce Sóisialaí Joan Burton Cuirim fáilte roimh fhoilseachán Thuarascáil Bhliantúil na Roinne Coimirce Sóisialaí le haghaidh 2015. Taispeánann na forbairtí atá léirithe sa tuarascáil go soiléir an dul chun cinn atá tar éis a bheith déanta maidir le fíorfheabhsuithe suntasacha a chur i bhfeidhm sa Roinn atá, go bunúsach, tar éis a bheith athraithe ó bhonn ón soláthraí éighníomhach sochar a bhí inti roimhe seo sa dóigh gur eagraíocht nuálach í anois a dhíríonn ar sheachadadh agus a chuireann an cliant i gcroílár a cuid gníomhartha ar fad. Is léiriú é an tuarascáil freisin ar thiomantas an Rialtais do chóras coimirce sóisialaí a chur ar fáil a fhreastalaíonn ar na dúshláin atá roimh shochaí na hÉireann. Tá tacú á chur faoin tiomantas sin ag an gcaiteachas de timpeall €20 le haghaidh seirbhísí coimirce sóisialaí a cuireadh ar fáil in 2015. Bhí mé sásta go háirithe le tabhairt isteach réimse feabhsuithe dírithe ar fhaighteoirí leasa shóisialaigh, mar chuid de Bhuiséad 2016, lenar áiríodh an chéad mhéadú ar rátaí seachtainiúla pinsin ó bhí 2009 ann, agus bhí mé sásta freisin le tabhairt ar ais, suas go dtí luach 75 faoin gcéad, bhónas na Nollag, a chuaigh chun tairbhe 1.2 faighteoir leasa shóisialaigh agus a chuir leis an ngeilleagar inmheánach. Níl aon amhras ach go raibh ról ríthábhachtach ag an Roinn Coimirce Sóisialaí in 2015 i dtacú le dul chun cinn eacnamaíoch na hÉireann. Is sna tionscnaimh dírithe ar chuardaitheoirí poist a bhí an chuid is suntasaí den dul chun cinn siúd. I dteannta gach post nua a chruthaítear bíonn fíorbhuntáistí follasacha do dhaoine aonair agus, i mórán cásanna, do na teaghlaigh a dtacaíonn siad leo. Tá an dífhostaíocht i ndiaidh titim ó bhuaicphointe géarchéime 15.1 faoin gcéad in 2012 go dtí 8.8 faoin gcéad ag tús 2016 agus, cé go bhfuil roinnt mhaith oibre fós le déanamh, tá an tseirbhís Intreo, a bhfuil na seirbhísí fostaíochta a bhí á gcur ar fáil ag FÁS comhtháite aici leis na seirbhísí leasa shóisialaigh a bhí á gcur ar fáil ag Feidhmeannacht na Seirbhíse Sláinte (FSE) go dtí seo, ag dul go mór chun sochair do chuardaitheoirí poist. Rinneadh suirbhé neamhspleách ar shásamh custaiméirí i dtreo dheireadh 2015, agus fuarthas amach gur chreid 75 faoin gcéad díobh siúd a ceistíodh go raibh a ndeiseanna chun post a fháil feabhsaithe ag an tseirbhís Intreo. Choimisiúnaigh an Roinn an suirbhé, i gcomhréir lena cuid gealltanas faoi straitéis de chuid an Rialtais Bealaí chun na hOibre, le cuidiú le cuardaitheoirí poist dul isteach san obair, san oiliúint agus san oideachas. I ndiaidh dom a bheith ceaptha mar Aire Coimirce Sóisialaí i mí Márta 2011, cuireadh mé go díreach ar an eolas faoi ról ríthábhachtach na Roinne i saol an náisiúin. Téann na scéimeanna agus na seirbhísí chun sochair do gach duine sa tsochaí, bíodh sin go díreach nó go hindíreach, agus is cuí go ndíríonn an Roinn go leanúnach ar sheachadadh seirbhísí a nuachóiriú chun seirbhísí atá nua-aimseartha, éifeachtúil agus dinimiciúil a chur ar fáil dá réimse ilchineálach custaiméirí. Is féidir bród a bheith ar fhoireann na Roinne Coimirce Sóisialaí, agus údar maith leis, mar gheall ar a bhfuil bainte amach acu in 2015 agus gabhaim buíochas leo as a gcuidiú agus a dtiomantas i leith athrú a chur i gcrích i rith tréimhse a bhí an-dúshlánach ar fad. Joan Burton T.D. Tánaiste agus Aire Coimirce Sóisialaí 25 Aibreán, 2016 An Roinn Coimirce Sóisialaí Tuarascáil Bhliantúil 2015 (PDF)