asked the Minister for Economic Planning and Development the average duration of jobs within the work experience programme and the environmental improvements scheme; and if he will indicate the areas in which, and the extent to which, young people have been absorbed into employment, to make up the shortfall of 5,000 jobs as promised by the Government last year.
Written Answers . - Employment of Young People .
212.
: It is estimated that the average duration of jobs within the work experience programme will be six months. There should be a reasonable prospect, however, that young people will frequently be retained after completion of initial assignments. There are no details available of the average duration of jobs within the environmental improvements scheme. Up to the end of May, however, local authorities employed 293 persons on the scheme and a total of 12,121 man-days were worked.
The programme for the creation of 20,000 jobs, which was announced by the Government on coming into office, included 5,000 jobs in projects employing young people. While there may be some shortfall on the target of 5,000 jobs, due to unavoidable delays in launching the work experience programme, the overall target of 20,000 jobs is likely to be exceeded. Young people are filling a substantial proportion of the new jobs which are being provided in the public sector and in building and construction as part of the special job creation programme, but exact statistical information as to their numbers is not available.