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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 13 Oct 1993

Vol. 434 No. 5

Written Answers. - Submission of Conference of Major Religious Superiors.

Liz O'Donnell

Question:

3 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Social Welfare his formal response to the submission by the Conference of Major Religious Superiors recently, entitled New Frontiers for Full Citizenship, and, in particular, their proposal that the Government initiate a scheme whereby unemployed people who wish to work could be employed in the voluntary workfare scheme.

Michael McDowell

Question:

23 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Minister for Social Welfare his formal response to the submission by the Conference of Major Religious Superiors recently, entitled New Frontiers for Full Citizenship, and, in particular, their proposal that the Government initiate a scheme whereby unemployed people who wish to work could be employed in the voluntary workfare scheme.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 and 23 together.

Tackling our high level of unemployment is the most important task facing this country. I look to our economic policies, in particular our continued commitment to low inflation, improvements in our international competitiveness and public finances plus the higher growth that will flow from the investment programme set out in the national plan, as our primary weapons in the fight against unemployment.
I attended the whole of the Conference of Major Religious Superiors conference and listened carefully to the contributions and participated in the debate.
I would draw the Deputies' attention to the section in the National Development Plan dealing with area based local development on page 23.
The plan introduces a radical new local dimension to enterprise and employment creation. It is aimed at encouraging and supporting local communities to participate in tackling unemployment and to pursue local development.
Programme expenditure under this heading will be £1,263 million over the period. The programme will have four elements. Additional funding under Community initiatives should strengthen local development efforts.
The area-based local development programme is targeted at disadvantaged areas through integrated socio-economic development in areas characterised by high concentrations of long-term unemployment, economic marginalisation, social exclusion and environmental deprivation; partnership companies in specific areas where unemployment is acute; funding for the costs of these companies, an initial contact programme, enterprise development, community development, and education, training and special initiatives to counter social exclusion; county enterprise boards to act as a catalyst for local enterprise initiatives, to provide financial support for local enterprise groups and to maximise the efforts of State agencies.
Thus we have adopted a strong approach to providing support measures. In addition in the programme outlined in the national plan, the Department of Social Welfare has initiated a number of schemes targeted at unemployed people. Deputies will already be familiar with a number of the schemes which have been put in place.
On the education and training front, the vocational training opportunities scheme, the third level education allowance, the second level and part-time education initiatives provide second chance education opportunities for over 3,600 people this year.
Recent back-to-work initiatives include the part-time job incentive scheme, the voluntary work option, and the back-to-work allowance. This back-to-work allowance allows unemployed people to retain their entitlement to a weekly social welfare payment while exploring the potential for employment or self-employment opportunities in indigenous industries or the voluntary sector.
The PRSI exemption scheme provides an incentive to employers to take on new staff and has been extended to April 1994.
Currently the Department is preparing a pilot school-leavers scheme which will give unemployed school-leavers the option to take up job opportunities in the community and voluntary sector allied with further education and training. This follows the successful students summer jobs scheme.
Currently my Department is establishing a jobs facilitation service in each of my Department's main offices which will help unemployed people to make the most of the options outlined above.
I welcome the submission by the Conference of Major Religious Superiors as an important contribution to the debate. I can assure Deputies that I will be studying the proposal in detail in the context of the continued development of the various initiatives we are currently operating. The proposal is detailed and ambitious. It raises important questions, for example in relation to the cost and the possibility of displacing or undercutting existing jobs, which need to be very carefully considered. As the Taoiseach pointed out yesterday in reply to a question from Deputy Rabbitte, the Conference of Major Religious Superiors are represented at the National Economic and Social Forum and I understand that the proposal will be raised and considered there in the context of the forum's review of issues surrounding unemployment. The views of the forum on the proposal will clearly be of major relevance for Government policy on unemployment as a whole and for my Department's policy in particular.
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