I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 128 together.
The job initiative is a pilot programme introduced in October 1996 providing full-time work, for three years, for those who are 35 years or over and five years or more unemployed and whose principal or only source of income is a social welfare payment. There are currently just under 1,000 persons on the programme.
The programme is operated by managing agents under the auspices of the relevant local area partnerships. Managing agents are paid a grant of £210 per week by FÁS in respect of each job created under the job initiative. However this grant should not be seen as the wages of job initiative particpants but rather as a contribution towards costs. It is a matter for managing agents to supplement this grant, if they consider it necessary, through other funds they receive from the State or otherwise. The actual wages paid to a job initiative employee, including specific terms and conditions of employment, would be a matter for negotiation between the employee in question and the managing agent and is not a matter in which I have a function.