Bernard J. Durkan
Question:70 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment whether any return to work incentives exist for persons who have been unemployed for less than six months; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Employment Incentive.
The mainstream Specific Skills Training courses provided by FÁS and which constitute an indirect incentive aimed at facilitating entry or reintegration into the labour market are open to persons who have been less than six months on the live register.
The employment schemes operated by FÁS are targeted in the main at the long term unemployed, although I would point out that under the new community employment programme, persons of 21 years of age and over and who are in receipt of unemployment assistance are eligible to participate without any specified minimum period of unemployment.
The enterprise scheme and employment incentive scheme, although currently operating at capacity relative to resources available this year, also operated under slightly different criteria in that the former was open to persons in receipt of unemployment assistance for 13 weeks immediately beforehand while the latter, in addition to focusing on the long term unemployed, was open to categories of persons such as 18 year olds and under on the FÁS youthreach register, disabled persons certified by the NRB, travellers and discharged prisoners without having to fulfil any duration requirements on the live register.