Paul Bradford
Question:17 Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Labour whether any recent assessments have been carried out on the effectiveness of the employment incentive schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Employment Incentive Schemes.
A review of the employment incentive scheme was commissioned by the Department in December 1986. The main conclusions of the review conducted by the ESRI were that deadweight and displacement were high and it recommended that the scheme should be focused and targeted on disadvantaged groups. The recommendation was accepted and the employment incentive scheme, as it currently operates, is directed at the long term unemployed, early school leavers and other disadvantaged categories. The employment subsidy scheme has only been in operation since the end of February and recruitment to the scheme now stands at 3,543. The operation of the scheme and also of the job training scheme will be reviewed later this month in co-operation with the EC as arranged when the schemes were first introduced.