Public consultation on the successor to Pathways to Work 2021-2025

The Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary TD, has launched a public consultation to develop a replacement for Pathways to Work 2021-2025.

When Pathways to Work 2021-2025 was published in 2021 it had 2 main goals: to help people get back to work after the COVID-19 pandemic and to help the long-term unemployed and those who face barriers to work.

The strategy committed to undertake a formal Mid-Term Review, with the support of the Labour Market Advisory Council. The 2023 Mid-Term Review process included a public consultation, engagement with community and voluntary organisations, engagement with relevant Government Departments and analysis of labour market research and trends. The findings of this process helped shape an updated strategy of commitments which was published by the Minister for Social Protection in May 2024. It will be delivered across Government by the end of 2025.

The updated strategy contains new and revised goals that reflect the improvement in the labour market since the original publication.

These improvements can be seen in some of the figures below:

The number of people aged 15-74 years who were unemployed in Q4 2024 was 116,100, with an Unemployment Rate of 4.0%. There were 28,200 people in long-term unemployment (unemployed for 12 months or longer) in Q4 2024, 1,300 fewer people than Q4 2023. (See Labour Force Survey Quarter 4 2024 - CSO - Central Statistics Office for more information)

Some groups still experience higher levels of unemployment than others, such as members of the Traveller and Roma communities, people with disabilities, single-parent families, older people, and young people. The new strategy will aim to improve the quality of employment, and find ways to upskill across all groups, both regionally and at a national level.

As we begin to develop the new strategy, we want to hear your views on the progress made in improving employment and skills for all. Please share your experience, or the experience of the people you represent, of barriers to employment, and suggest ways this situation could be improved in the future.

We welcome your comments, ideas and suggestions as to what might be included in the next strategy, and we thank you in advance for your contribution.

The public consultation will take place from 10 July 2025 to end of September 2025.

Before making a submission, please review the privacy information below.

Contact the Department of Social Protection

Email: pathwaystowork@welfare.ie with “Pathways to Work 2026-2030 Consultation” in the email subject line.

We are committed to engaging with stakeholders in a clear, open and transparent manner. Any person or organisation can make a submission for this consultation. Responses will help develop a replacement to the Pathways to Work strategy 2021-2025.

Responses to this consultation are subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 (FOI) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

We intend to publish the contents of all submissions received during this consultation on our website. Personal data will be redacted prior to publication of submissions. Please tell us if a response contains personal or confidential information that you do not want to be published or released under FOI.

For more on Data Protection in the Department of Social Protection, read our Data Protection policy.

Further information on Pathways to Work 2021-2025

Access the consultation survey

We are aware that some organisations may prefer to provide written submissions in response to the consultation questions. We ask that if you and your organisation wish to do so, that they are sent to

pathwaystowork@welfare.ie

with “Pathways to Work 2026-2030 Consultation Submission” in the email subject line.

Alternatively, by post to Labour Market Policy, Room 1.1.13, Department of Social Protection, Goldsmith House, Dublin 2, D02 YY17 by 30 September 2025.