asked the Minister for Labour the actions or activities which he proposes to undertake within the next 12 months with regard to improving the employment prospects and quality of life generally of people in the Dublin north-inner city area.
Written Answers - Dublin North-Inner City.
103.
The policy of the Government is to ensure that all unemployment people should have at their disposal a wide variety of options in training, work experience, a place on an employment scheme or the opportunity to engage in a business for themselves. My Department have, accordingly, introduced and administer a selection of employment, training and incentive programmes to meet with the variety of problems which unemployed people encounter.
The National Manpower Service, D'Olier House, have assigned four placement officers specifically to the Dublin north-inner city area to provide unemployed persons with advice on the programmes most appropriate to their specific needs. In any cases where the services of other State agencies would appear more suitable, the placement officers arrange the necessary liaison.
An indication of the activity of the National Manpower Service in the area may be had from the fact that 724 persons have so far this year been placed on schemes viz.
|
Number placed |
|
|
Enterprise Allowance Scheme (EAS) |
108 |
|
Work Experience Programme (WEP) |
97 |
|
Social Employment Scheme (SES) |
207 |
|
Employment Incentive Scheme (EIS) |
249 |
|
Teamwork |
63 |
|
Total |
724 |
In addition, a total of 174 persons in the area have been placed in full time employment.
In the course of monitoring participation in the various schemes, the placement officers encourage employers to notify any vacancies in their undertakings to the D'Olier Street NMS office and every effort is made to match job-seekers against these vacancies.
The NMS is the agency responsible for administration and operating the £10 employment bonus (in addition to the employment incentive premium) on offer via the Dublin inner-city group grant scheme. The scheme encourages inner-city employers to employ inner-city residents.
The procedures for registration of job-seekers at D'Olier House have been simplified to remove delays and placement officers are always on hand to deal with any queries from callers. In addition, a large self-service display unit has been set up in D'Olier House to assist job seekers.
I would also refer to the Taoiseach's statement in the Dáil on 23 October last in which various initiatives specifically designed to boost employment in the Dublin north-inner city area were announced.
It would be my intention that everything possible will continue to be done to alleviate unemployment in the Dublin area and particularly the inner-city.