Vol. 407 No. 3
1 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Taoiseach the number of meetings of the Central Review Committee of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress which have been held to date; if the March unemployment figures have been discussed by the committee; if any special meeting of the committee is planned to discuss the substantial increase in unemployment disclosed in these figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The Central Review Committee under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress have held three meetings to date. In addition, the Central Review Committee, including all appropriate public authorities, supplemented by representatives from the Combat Poverty Agency, the Irish Resource Development Trust and the Trust for Community Initiatives, held a meeting on 4 March 1991 to discuss arrangements for the area-based response to long-term unemployment as provided for in section VII of the programme.
As I indicated to the House on 12 March 1991, any public statements on the deliberations of the committee are a matter for the committee themselves to decide. It is also a matter for the committee to decide the timing and agenda of any meetings held.
My question specifically related to whether the March figures for unemployment had been discussed at the meetings concerned. May I ask the Taoiseach if those figures have been referred to? I am sure he is aware that the figures for March of this year are the highest since March 1988 and that there is clearly a very worrying trend in relation to increasing unemployment.
The figures were not available for the last meeting, but the Deputy can be assured that the unemployment situation generally is a matter for concern and discussion at the committee.
Have the Government considered the ICTU proposal with regard to a forum on employment which would seek to bring together the various interests and to discuss the best way of job creation? Have they considered that and have they any views on it?
The Government's approach to the whole question of the creation of employment and mitigation of unemployment is contained in the programme.
Ceist 2.
The emphasis in the programme appears to relate to the question of long-term unemployment which obviously is a serious matter, but the figures for March indicate new people coming on the unemployment register and the figures do not include roughly 8,000 people who were excluded from the live register because they are on various pre-retirement schemes.
I have to dissuade Members from the notion that we can debate this matter now. Briefly, please.
Does the Taoiseach intend to address that specific issue as distinct from the long-term unemployment issue?
The programme addresses the general issue of employment.
In respect of the area based employment measures referred to by the Taoiseach in his reply, will he indicate if the areas for these measures have yet been selected, when the measures will come into effect and the approximate proportion of the total number of unemployment people who will be covered by these measures?
The areas have been selected and announced. The whole process is under way and all the necessary arrangements have been made. I would not be able to give the Deputy the exact number of unemployed in the areas, but he will be aware that the areas are selected on the basis that they are high unemployment black spots.
