asked the Minister for Labour the number of school leavers who have obtained employment under the Premium Employment Scheme since its introduction.
431.
Written Answers. - Employment Incentives.
430.
asked the Minister for Labour if any details are available as to the length of time school leavers are retained in employment after expiration of the employment premium.
432.
asked the Minister for Labour the number of adults employed under the Premium Employment Scheme; and the number still retained in employment following cessation of payment of this premium.
It is proposed with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle to answer Questions Nos. 430, 431 and 432 together. I take it that the Deputy is referring in his questions to the Premium Employment Programme and the Employment Incentive Scheme.
Under the Premium Employment Programme, which operated from 29th June, 1975, to 8th January, 1977, some 7,000 persons were returned to fulltime employment with the aid of the programme. School leavers were not eligible to participate in that programme.
From the introduction of the Employment Incentive Scheme, which replaced the earlier Programme, on 28th February, 1977, to 21st October, 1977, the applications received for benefit under the scheme would indicate that during the period 2,901 employees were returned to employment with the aid of the scheme; of that number, 2,124 were adults and 777 were school leavers.
There is no information available to my Department to indicate the number of premium-attracting employees retained in employment after the cessation of the premiums or the length of time school leavers are retained in employment after expiration of the premium.