Vol. 405 No. 7
15 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Labour the number employed, in each region, on social employment schemes at present; if he will outline the budgetary allocation for social employment schemes in 1991; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
29 Tomás Mac Giolla asked the Minister for Labour the number of persons currently on social employment schemes at the latest date for which figures are available; the average allowance paid to trainees; if he has any plans to increase this allowance, especially as those on social employment schemes do not qualify for the additional payments made to those on social welfare; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
32 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Labour the total number of persons currently employed under social employment schemes.
35 Mr. Connor asked the Minister for Labour if he intends to make further changes in the social welfare waiting period to gain employment on a social employment scheme; and his views on whether the present regulations, because of their inflexible nature; preclude the successful initiation of many schemes throughout the country.
69 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Labour the number of (a) men and (b) women currently employed on the social employment schemes.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 15, 29, 32, 35 and 69 together.
The 1991 Exchequer allocation for the social employment scheme is £57.875 million. There were 11,715 people on the scheme at the end of January 1991. Subnational figures are a day to day matter for FÁS and I would suggest to the Deputy that he contact FÁS directly in the matter.
Current payment rates, which have been payable since July 1990, are as follows: basic rate, £69 per week; adult dependant allowance, £29.50 per week; and child dependant allowance up to £11 per week. I propose to have a further review of social employment scheme allowances carried out later this year.
The additional payments made to those on social employment schemes to which Deputy Mac Giolla refers, are payable to persons in receipt of long term social welfare payments and to persons who are long term unemployed and in receipt of unemployment compensation payments. Participants on the social employment scheme are in receipt of payments which are not directly linked to the unemployment payments they were receiving while they were on the live register.
The level of payment on the scheme is pitched above that to which such persons would be entitled had they remained on the live register so as to compensate them for the loss of any added benefits payable in addition to the basic social welfare payments. People on the social employment scheme may engage in other activities while not involved in the scheme and many do.
The social employment scheme is directed at long term unemployed and any reduction in the qualifying period would alter the thrust of the scheme.
Participants on the social employment scheme are not on the live register while on the scheme.
I thank the Minister for the information. Is it the view in some parts of the country that these schemes are merely updated versions of the public works schemes of the last century? I accept that in many cases very valuable work has been done that would not otherwise have been done. Would the Minister consider some sort of monitoring system whereby wasteful schemes of no value would not be commenced? Will the Minister clarify for the 11,000 who are employed that it is not mandatory that union dues be deducted before approval can be given for a scheme? In some parts of the country this has caused controversy and I should like the Minister to clarify the position officially.
If any superfluous schemes come to the attention of the monitoring group, which is made up of FÁS, the trade unions and the Department of Labour, such schemes are not renewed. The only condition is that people must be in receipt of unemployment assistance, be over the age of 25 and have been more than 12 months on the register. They may also be over the age of 25 and in receipt of unemployment benefit, with the same requirement of 12 months on the register. There are no grounds for claiming that they should have to pay union dues or any other type of dues.
We must now proceed to other questions.
One final supplementary. Is the Minister satisfied that the allocation of £57 million this year will be sufficient for all the schemes already approved which cannot be commenced because of shortage of funds?
I should have said that the £57.8 million is Exchequer money. Regardless of some reports, the social employment scheme is still immensely popular. In recent months there has been a very heavy demand on the scheme. There may be some delay but I hope it will not be too long. There has been a huge take-up over the past 12 months. Two years ago we had difficulty trying to get people to take up the scheme. People have found new uses for the scheme which were not there two years ago. We have to be careful that they are not outside the rules.
