asked the Minister for Labour the number of unemployed people on the registered list available for employment in the Tallaght area; and how this number compares with the total number of people on the unemployed list as per parliamentary question No. 2 of 16 April, 1986.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tallaght (Dublin) Unemployment.
7.
On 28 March 1986 there were 8,043 persons registered as job seekers with the Tallaght office of the National Manpower Service. As indicated in reply to a Parliamentay Question on 16 April 1986 the number of persons on the live register at Tallaght employment exchange on the same date was 5,098.
The main reasons for the difference between the figures are: (i) The area covered by the Tallaght National Manpower Office is greater than the Tallaght employment exchange area, e.g. Tallaght NMS area includes Blessington and surrounding areas. (ii) There are certain categories of persons who would not be eligible for social welfare benefit/assistance and therefore would not appear on the live register but who would be on the NMS register as looking for work, e.g., early school leavers, AnCO trainees, participants on temporary work schemes and job-changers. (iii) Essentially the live register relates to current recipients of unemployment compensation and consequently it changes on a week to week basis.
Has the Minister any proposal to reduce unemployment in Tallaght? The reply given by the Minister gives only some of the reasons for the massive unemployment in the Tallaght area. Obviously, this is an area which requires special attention. Is any action being taken within the Minister's Department to try to improve the position?
The Department of Labour have specifically provided a range of employment incentives for enterprises right across the country. I am not satisfied that enterprises in the Dublin area, in general, and in the Tallaght area, in particular, have made full use of these. I refer specifically to the employment incentive scheme and the work experience programme. I am not sure also whether all of the people who are registered with the National Manpower Service are aware of the support system we have under the enterprise allowance scheme. In addition — and we will have a relevant question later on on the Order Paper — Dublin County Council have the potential, if they so choose, to employ at least 1,000 people under the social employment scheme. They have not yet chosen to do this.