asked the Minister for Labour the amount of funds allocated to date under the social employment scheme.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Employment Scheme.
9.
The first projects under the social employment scheme commenced operation in April 1985. Up to December 1985 £7.253 million was paid to project sponsors in respect of work undertaken under the scheme.
The latest details of expenditure for SES cover the period 1 January 1986 to 30 October 1986. During this period £30.688 million has been paid to project sponsors in respect of SES operations. The entire budget of £42.73 million for the scheme in 1986 has been allocated.
This figure relates only to the Department of Labour Estimates. It does not take account of the consequential reduction in social welfare payments. This saving is estimated at approximately 30 per cent of gross expenditure.
Is the Minister aware that Monaghan County Council were notified of a £3.3 million allocation? To date they have taken up £1.1 million, one-third of the total. That is partly due to the restrictions which were put on the National Manpower Service in allowing further recruitment. There was a ceiling put on recruitment. Will this scheme be continued and will the council have an opportunity to have a full take-up? It is not their problem that they were restricted.
That is a separate question.
I will have the details of what the Deputy says examined and we will communicate with him. I do not have that specific information. This is a general answer to the Deputy's question.
When this scheme was announced, 35 per cent of the allocation was for supervision and materials and 65 per cent for labour. To ensure the take-up of the scheme for the figure which was mentioned, £3.3 million, instead of 10,000 employees 30,000 employees would be required.
What is the actual cost of the social employment scheme to the Exchequer after one takes in social welfare payments and other deductions?
That is a specific detail, Deputy. This question refers to the amount of funds allocated to date.
Can the Minister even give me a percentage? If a person on unemployment assistance goes on the social employment scheme, what is the additional cost?
The savings in terms of social welfare payments is estimated at approximately 30 per cent of gross expenditure. This year there was a total allocation of £42.733 million under the Department of Labour Estimate for the scheme.
In view of the fact that it is not costing very much more to have people on the social employment scheme, why is there an embargo on taking on further people? I do not know how many people are interested in going on the scheme but if there is very little cost, surely there is a case for upping the figure which was laid down?
The Deputy is aware that 10,000 was the target figure for which budgetary allocations were allowed by the Cabinet. I am sure the question of either an expansion of the scheme or some other alternative is being examined by them in that context. The allocation for all of this year, £42 million, has been allocated under the scheme.
What are his Department seeking from the Exchequer in 1987?
That is certainly another question.
Is 10,000 the limit for 1987? Is there no opportunity for going over the 10,000? Is the figure frozen? The statement setting out the figure of 10,000 was made in 1984.
The target initially was 10,000. I am sure that matter will be considered by the Cabinet in their discussions.
10.
asked the Minister for Labour if he is aware that organisations in Donegal have received social employment scheme approval and cannot commence due to a ceiling on recruitment; the steps he proposes to take to overcome this difficulty; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The situation regarding the social employment scheme is that the ambitious target of 10,000 participants contained in the Government's plan Building on Reality was surpassed in June 1986. In order to remain within the 1986 budget it is necessary to restrict the numbers of new participants entering the scheme. Accordingly, recruitment may only occur where sufficient persons have terminated their period of employment under the SES. I am confident that projects approved under the social employment scheme in County Donegal will be cleared to commence over the coming months.
Will the Minister agree that there are many people who have not had the opportunity to participate in the scheme, even though they are on the National Manpower Service list as being eligible? Would it not be a good idea to have an advance policy for the coming years so that people will know in January, February or March whether they will have an opportunity of participating in the scheme? They have been waiting all year to do so.
That would depend upon the amount of budgetary allocation made to the scheme and the ceiling to be set in terms of participants by the Cabinet. I am sure that once those figures emerge the various regional offices will be notified of these allocations and they can then plan accordingly.