asked the Minister for Labour if he is satisfied that his Department have taken adequate precautions to ensure that there is no abuse of the employment incentive scheme particularly in relation to the employment of young workers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Employment Incentive Scheme.
16.
The scheme contains the usual provisions designed to prevent fraudulent claims and other abuses and I am satisfied that it will serve only to help young people find employment.
Would the Minister be able to give any estimate of the cost of recent advertising in connection with this scheme?
I do not have the figures at present.
Would the Minister be able to give even approximate figures?
No. I will give exact figures. There is nothing secret about the cost but I do not have the figures with me.
Would the Minister regard the cost as justified?
The campaign has been immensely successful so far with something like 650 employers getting in touch with the Department in the opening part of the campaign and, as the Deputy may see in today's paper, it is continuing.
Would the Minister agree that there are some grounds for believing that this advertising campaign was more directed to the electoral advantage of the Minister as a politician than to the benefit of the scheme itself?
No. The motivation of the scheme was to get 11,000 people back to work and the Department of Labour and I have followed the advice of the agency in charge of the campaign.
Would the Minister give some indication as to exactly who it was that advised on the type and nature of this campaign?
I do not understand what the Deputy means.
We understand that some explanations have been offered that the particular form of these advertisments was the result of advice offered by experts in the advertising world. Would the Minister give some indication as to who these people were.
The advertising agency concerned gave this advice on the actual format of the campaign. The Department accepted it.
Has this agency recently advised that the form of this advertisement should be changed?
In case the Deputy may not have heard, may I repeat that an agency retained by the Department was charged with the responsibility of this campaign. The campaign followed in all particulars their advice.
Is the Minister at this stage frankly and honestly thoroughly ashamed of this scandalous personal misuse of public funds?
I shall be quite proud if 11,000 people go back to work as a result of the scandal.