asked the Minister for Labour (a) the number of unemployed young people under 25 on the live register; and (b) the number of young people under 25 on temporary training and job placement schemes.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Young Unemployed.
1.
(a) The number of young persons on the live register was 72,423 and 74,012 at 31 October and 30 September 1986 respectively.
The October figure represents a decrease of 1,589 on the September figure.
(b) At the end of September 1986 (the latest date for which figures are available) there was over 47,800 young persons on training and employment schemes as shown on the tabular statement circulated in the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
Training and Employment Schemes
Numbers of young persons participating at 30 September 1986.
|
Training Programmes |
|
|
AnCO |
12,461 |
|
CERT |
873 |
|
ACOT Certificate in Farming Programme |
3,570 |
|
Vocational Preparation and Training Programme (VPTP) |
20,000 |
|
(1986-87 academic) |
|
|
Sub-Total |
36,904 |
|
Employment and Work Experience Programmes |
|
|
Enterprise Allowance Scheme (NMS) |
1,055 |
|
Employment Incentive Scheme (NMS) |
5,615 |
|
Work Experience Programme |
3,052 |
|
Community Enterprise Programme (YEA) |
264 |
|
Marketplace (YEA) |
53 |
|
Scientist and Technologist Employment Programme (YEA) |
n/a |
|
National Co-Operative Farm Relief Service (YEA) |
18 |
|
European Orientation Programme (YEA) |
31 |
|
Youth Self Employment Programme (YEA) |
658 |
|
Financial Graduates Employment Programme (YEA) |
5 |
|
Other miscellaneous YEA projects |
112 |
|
Environmental Works Scheme (D/Environment) |
48 |
|
Sub-Total |
10,911 |
|
Total |
47,815 |
Will the Minister acknowledge that the slight drop in the numbers unemployed is due to emigration? What action, if any, does the Minister or the Government intend to take on the matter of the 74,000 young people under the age of 25 registered as unemployed and the 47,000 people on various schemes with very few jobs at the end of them? Will the Minister acknowledge that the situation warrants emergency action?
That is a very long question.
The question relates to statistics and the information is as I have given it to Deputy Lyons. The 72,423 on the live register at 31 October 1986 represents a decrease of 1,589 on the September figure and that is the second successive month during which there has been a decrease in the youth unemployment total. I recognise that many young people have left the country. But the Deputy's comment on that is a separate question and it is a much broader question than can be answered here.
Since the Minister has acknowledge that the drop in the figure could be attributed to emigration, what action, if any, does he or the Government propose to take to improve the situation with regard to young unemployed people?
I did not say that the drop was specifically related to the numbers of young people who have left the country for whatever reason. The action the Government are taking is evident first from the vast number of such schemes for training and placement in employment which are available — and I have details of those for the Deputy if he wishes. The question of an attempt to provide employment for all our young people is naturally a question of critical national importance and is one for Cabinet decisions and for everybody in the country to work towards.
Will the Minister acknowledge that these figures indicate clearly that we are in a crisis with regard to employment generally but particularly for young people? What proposals do the Government have to deal with that crisis?
That is a separate question of a much broader nature than the Deputy asked here. The Deputy asked for statistics and numbers and I have given him those to the best of my ability.