asked the Minister for Labour the numbers at present unemployed in County Louth who were at some stage during the last three years employed on the temporary employment scheme operated by his Department.
22.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers - County Louth Employment Statistics.
13.
asked the Minister for Labour the numbers at present employed on various temporary employment schemes operated by his Department in County Louth.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 22 together. At present in County Louth 127 persons are participating in the work experience programme; 284 in the enterprise allowance scheme and 48 in the teamwork scheme. As statistics relating to the social employment scheme and employment incentive scheme are at present compiled on the basis of the National Manpower Service regions, it is not possible to provide details in respect of individual counties. In the north-east region, which includes Counties Louth, Cavan and Monaghan, 487 persons are participating in the social employment scheme and 225 under the employment incentive scheme.
My Department are not in a position to monitor the employment or unemployment history of persons who have participated in temporary employment schemes. While the information which would be obtained from such monitoring would be of some interest, the cost, in terms of overall resources would be more than the use value of the information received.
In a case where this scheme cannot be operated under the terms as laid down, would the Minister consider diverting whatever funds had been allocated to some other scheme to get over this impasse? Would the Minister consider this as a device for getting around the impossible position in which a certain local authority finds itself?
In respect of any of the Manpower intervention schemes which provide employment under different categories, I am constrained by regulations and such flexibility as is built into the regulations is fully availed of by my Department. In addition, between the various subheads that make up the Manpower section, I intend to ensure that we get maximum value for money. If there is an underspending under one subhead as against another in Manpower services it is my intention, subject to the agreement of the Minister for Finance who also has a statutory role in this, to ensure that we get the money. If the latter part of the Deputy's question refers to the continued refusal or inability of Dublin Corporation, because of lack of trade union co-operation, I regret to say, to avail of the social employment scheme, it means that he is requesting me to make some kind of block grant equivalent to the kind of moneys which on a pro rata Dublin Corporation get relative to other authorities, a sum of approximately £1 million, I regret that I am not in a position to do so. I ask the Deputy to use his position in Dublin City Council to ensure that management and the trade unions agree to operate within the SES to see if there is some way, now that spring is with us, to provide up to 1,000 jobs for unemployed people in the Dublin area.
I should dearly like to see that happen. If the Minister could find some way of allocating the money to the local authority, there would be no difficulty in providing 1,000 jobs but, for some ulterior motive, the trade union movement will not allow the scheme to operate in Dublin Corporation so the matter is beyond the Minister, the management or myself. Because the position is peculiar and arises through no fault of the majority in the City Council, would the Minister consider taking the matter back to Cabinet for the purpose of trying to have a block grant sanctioned for Dublin Corporation?
I understand the sense of frustration the Deputy experiences in Dublin Corporation regarding this matter. Like every other Deputy, each week when he holds his clinic he is being requested to provide employment for people while he is aware that the corporation are not in a position to provide up to at least 1,000 jobs. The Deputy was an office holder during a previous administration so he may be aware that experience has shown that a block grant to a local authority is not the most effective way of providing employment. If that were the most effective way of dealing with the matter it would be much easier administratively for us in the Department. The resolution of the problem lies with the management of Dublin Corporation, with the elected members of the corporation and with the trade unions representing workers in Dublin Corporation.
What is the reason for having figures available on a regional rather than a county basis when in that social employment scheme there is an element in respect of materials for sidelining roads and so on which would have to be allocated on a county basis?
I agree with the Deputy and I have given instructions that the information be made available on a county basis so that we may compare county with county. Regrettably the information which I had to give the House today was uneven in that some of it was in the form of county by county and some related to regions.
Would the Minister not agree that if we were to consider the figures on a county basis we would find that some counties have not been as effective as others in implementing the scheme and are getting off very lightly on the coat-tails of someone else?
That is not relevant to the question.
I submit that it is relevant.
It is an extension of the question.
Again, I agree with the Deputy and I should be happy to make available to him or to any other Member information that would help to reduce the level of unemployment in the various areas.