Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 Oct 1992

Vol. 423 No. 1

Written Answers. - Unemployment Figures.

Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

448 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Labour the number of unemployed who have been out of work for over two years; whether any special efforts are being made to assist them to find work; and if so, if he will outline the success thereof.

The latest information relating to duration of unemployment published by the Central Statistics Office indicates that in April, 1992 there were 75,635 people on the Live Register who had been unemployed for 2 or more years.

The Social Employment Scheme operated by FÁS is the principal manpower intervention aimed at persons who have been unemployed for 1 year or more. An Exchequer allocation of £72.9 million was originally made available for the scheme in 1992 which would have resulted in the participation of an average of 11,300 people on the scheme each week.

The rates of payment to participants on the Scheme are pitched above those to which they would be entitled had they remained on the Live Register in order to encourage participation in the scheme. In addition, as it is a part-time work scheme participants are free to engage in paid employment when participating in the scheme during the period while they are not actually involved in projects.

The long term unemployed are a priority group for FÁS training programmes. It is accepted that older long term unemployed with dependants are sometimes reluctant to participate in training. In order to attempt to overcome this reluctance, a dependency bonus of £10 is payable to trainees in addition to their training allowances which equate to the level of social welfare payments they were receiving.

The Employment Incentive Scheme, operated by FÁS, provide an incentive of £60 per week for 39 weeks to an employer who recruits an additional employee from among the long term unemployed. In 1991, 1,700 such persons were recruited under the Scheme. A similar level of recruitment is expected this year.
In addition, through its employment service, FÁS provides advice and information relating to opportunities notified to the service.
An area-based strategy for the long term unemployed was agreed in theProgramme for Economic and Social Progress. Twelve areas have been selected on a pilot basis and the local companies or partnerships have drawn up Area Action Plans based on the needs of the areas.
On 30 April last, the Taoiseach announced a number of special measures to be taken in the 12 pilot areas aimed at helping the long term unemployed get back to work. The measures, which will be operated through the partnerships in association with the appropriate Government Departments, focus on eliminating difficulties faced by people who are long term unemployed when the possibility of taking up either paid employment and/or training and development schemes present themselves. In particular, long term unemployed people, approved by the partnerships, taking up paid employment or becoming self-employed will retain their existing secondary benefits for a period of 12 months. In the case of those becoming self-employed, they will be paid an allowance equivalent to the social welfare payments to which they were entitled while on the Live Register.
Following evaluation, the area-based initiative may be extended nationwide as resources permit.
Top
Share