asked the Minister for Labour if additional staff have been allocated to the National Manpower offices to deal with the much increased activity resulting from the introduction of new schemes dealing with temporary employment and other activities for unemployed persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - National Manpower Staff.
6.
I keep the staff level in the various sections of my Department under continuous review in the light of work priorities.
Staff have been redeployed from other activities in the Department of Labour to the National Manpower Service because of the high priority the activities of the service have. In addition, I have secured from the Government agreement within the overall terms of the embargo for assignment of some additional placement and clerical staff to the National Manpower Service. Some of these are already in situ and the balance are in the course of being assigned.
Computerisation in the National Manpower Service in the east region has been introduced and this will be extended to other areas in the country as soon as possible. These measures have had the effect of increased productivity and improved administrative efficiency.
Is the Minister aware that since the introduction of the new schemes, particularly the social employment scheme, facilities in the manpower office serving the north side have practically broken down due to the fact that there are no additional staff to deal with the huge increase in the workload? Is the Minister aware that, prior to the introduction of the new scheme, the office I have referred to was so understaffed that they were unable to handle the huge number of applications received from the unemployed? Is the Minister aware that the position is so bad that people are sent away and told not to come back for six to eight weeks?
I am aware that the staff of the National Manpower Service throughout the service have been working under difficult conditions because of the tragic increase in the number of applicants on the one hand and, on the other hand, the effect of the embargo. I have made provision for extra staff and it will be my intention to ensure that that staff are directed to the areas of maximum demand. In that context I agree with Deputy Brady that the north side of Dublin city needs additional assistance.
Will the Minister review the system whereby applicants for various schemes must submit their applications? In regard to one scheme, the social employment scheme, 13 forms have to be filled by each applicant. There is a huge amount of administration involved because of the massive amount of paper work which has to be handled by about three clerical staff. It is obvious that the system has broken down. As far as the new scheme is concerned, will the Minister ensure that those for whom the service was established originally, the unemployed, get preferential treatment because they are not getting any at present? It is the view of unemployed people that it is a waste of time approaching the National Manpower Service.
I am aware of the pressures on the National Manpower Service. In regard to the SES I should like to tell the Deputy that the filling of forms has been considerably streamlined and, from the point of view of the participants and the placement officers, the position is not as suggested by the Deputy. However, I will be happy to discuss the matter with the Deputy if he has received complaints about the scheme. I am not suggesting that the Deputy is misleading the House but that is not my understanding of how the scheme is operating. We are trying to improve and modernise the National Manpower Service and the introduction of computerisation will certainly take a lot of the repetitive work off the shoulders of the staff.
Will the Minister give an undertaking that discussions will take place with the staff, or the representatives, prior to the introduction of any new schemes? Will the staffing position be improved following the publication of the White Paper in the next two weeks?
The introduction of any of the schemes with which I have been identified involved discussions with the National Manpower Service. It is my intention to improve and extend the services of the National Manpower Service and the details will be announced in due course.