Vol. 432 No. 4
4 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of students that have applied for the summer work schemes; if he will list the organisations that have applied for participation in these schemes; and the way in which he proposes to insure students who participate in these schemes.
11 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of positions which have so far been secured for students under the workfare scheme; if he will publish a list of the sponsoring organisations and the number of positions in each case; the number of applications submitted by students by the closing date on 4 June 1993; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that application forms were not available at some employment exchanges less than a week before the closing date; the payments that will be made to students who qualify, but for whom no places are available; and the number of third level students or school leavers who received social welfare payments in the summer months of 1992.
25 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will define the meaning of hardship in relation to student's eligibility for social welfare payments during summer months; if students whose parents are in receipt of social welfare will qualify; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
38 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Welfare his views on whether sufficient work will be available for students who will not receive unemployment assistance in 1993 in view of the high level of unemployment generally; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
60 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of students for whom he has been able to find summer jobs; and the plans, if any, he has for those students who are unable to get work.
63 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of young people he expects to accommodate by way of community work during the summer; if he expects any difficulty making such jobs available in view of the numbers on the live register and seeking work; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 4, 11, 25, 38, 60 and 63 together.
The response to the scheme has been very positive. Almost 2,000 students had registered by the original closing date of 4 June, which I have now extended to 25 June. This will allow students who are committed to examinations sufficient time to register. Interest in the scheme has continued to grow and applications from students now total some 3,216, with over 1,450 sponsors offering in excess of 6,600 jobs.
That is a big jump.
That often happens with these things.
The Minister should remember that the closing date was 4 June.
I told the Deputy to wait and we would have the results for him. The jobs are being offered mainly by voluntary, community and sporting organisations. Application forms and fact sheets are available from all local offices throughout the country and are also available on request from PO Box No. 3840.
A list of the participating sponsors is being drawn up for all counties and will be supplied to all eligible student applicants. My Department will be happy to supply Deputies with lists of sponsors on request as soon as they are completed.
My Department will approve applications from students and from sponsors and reimburse sponsors in respect of payments to students. It is the responsibility of each student applicant to seek employment with an approved sponsor. Arrangements for payments to students are a matter for sponsors. Employment under the scheme will be insurable at PRSI class J1, which gives cover for occupational injury benefits. This cost will be borne by my Department; any other insurance is a matter for sponsors.
Students living at home who cannot get work under the summer jobs scheme and whose family is dependent on a social welfare payment(s) can avail of special arrangements which allow payment for up to eight weeks.
It is estimated that about 12,000 students claimed unemployment assistance last year. I am confident that the arrangements put in place this year under the summer jobs scheme will be of substantial benefit to third-level students who otherwise would not have been entitled to any payment. I see this scheme as a very positive development, of benefit to students and the community generally.
Although the Minister mentioned 3,000 students having applied, he failed to list the organisations that have indicated willingness to participate in the summer work scheme. Since the numbers with which the Minister has now furnished us are more like Lotto numbers and since most of the 12,000 students have as much chance of obtaining a job as winning the national lottery, would the Minister say whether students who cannot obtain work within their immediate vicinity, who are forced to travel to obain work under the scheme but who must live near their places of work, will be allowed supplementary welfare allowance under the provisions of the scheme? If not, I would deem that to be a serious defect in the scheme. Since there will be at least 9,000 students who received assistance last year but who will not receive such assistance this year, will the Minister now admit that the scheme is a massive cock-up and is an enormous burden on the PAYE sector and families experiencing difficulty in putting their children through third level education?
First, I can say it will not be a burden on the PAYE sector. Second, I can tell the Deputy that it has been much welcomed nationwide.
By whom?
I know the Deputy is disappointed now——
The Minister has not answered.
Deputy Allen, you have asked the Minister some questions. Please give the Minister the courtesy of replying.
It is like trying to pick up mercury with a fork.
The Minister is bluffing, as always.
This is not good enough. The Deputy must contain himself and listen to the Minister's reply. He has asked some questions. The Deputy himself was not interrupted. Let us afford the Minister the same courtesy.
I want to re-emphasise, for the benefit of Deputy Allen, that 6,600 jobs have been offered and are well spread throughout the country.
Where are they? Would the Minister state the organisations and their locations?
They are well spread throughout the country.
Would the Minister say where?
I am now bringing Priority Questions to a close. This is not good enough.
On a point of order, a Cheann Comhairle, since we are taking Questions Nos. 4, 11, 25, 38, 60 and 63 together, including my question No. 11, we are now outside Priority Question Time——
How kind of you to remind me, Deputy.
I think I should be allowed——
It is not possible under Standing Orders, Deputy, and you know that. We are now proceeding to deal with other questions.
The Minister is dealing with the lot together, which is not satisfactory from the point of view of the many students who will have no income this summer.
A Cheann Comhairle, I remained fairly quiet while listening to the Minister give a ten-minute reply to a question. Effectively, it means he is filibustering to avoid answering my Question No. 6.
Please, Deputy Allen. If Deputies want to change Standing Orders in respect of Priority Questions——
A Cheann Comhairle, as spokesperson for my party I have one opportunity only every two months of putting questions to the Minister. But, due to your incompetence and the Minister——
Deputy Allen, please withdraw that remark.
I will not.
Well then, please leave the House.
I will not because there are serious questions to be answered here.
Deputy, I shall have to——
People are starving because of the Minister's decisions and I am not getting answers in this House because of a parliamentary ploy on the part of the Minister to filibuster.
The Deputy has refused to obey the Chair. I must now ask that the Deputy be named.
I name the Deputy.
That is what it is, a filibuster on the part of the Minister to avoid answering questions. I will leave the House. The Minister is a disgrace. He was misleading the House the last time and now he is——
Let us proceed to Question No. 8.
Deputy Allen said the Chair was incompetent.
What about the guidelines to the CWOs?
The Deputy should withdraw that remark.
Deputy Allen, you must now withdraw from the House immediately.
It is a disgrace, a Cheann Comhairle, you should ask the Minister to answer questions here.
Deputy Allen, please leave immediately.
Deputy Allen should withdraw the allegation against the Chair.
I am leaving, a Cheann Comhairle.
Deputy Allen withdrew from the Chamber.
