Written Answers. - Return to Work Schemes.
Mary Wallace
Question:
17
Miss M. Wallace
asked the
Minister for Social Welfare
if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties being caused to many women by the requirement that they be on the live register before being able to gain places on return to work schemes; and if he will establish a special register to deal with this problem.
[6122/95]
Kathleen Lynch
Question:
46
Kathleen Lynch
asked the
Minister for Social Welfare
the number of men and women signing on for credits in 1994; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6208/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 46 together.
My Department has administrative arrangements in place in its network of local offices to record statistical details of unemployed people who are either in receipt of unemployment payments or signing for credited contributions. The recording of this information, which is commonly called the live register, is part of the Department's normal process of maintaining statistical and management information on the number of persons receiving such payments or credited contributions. This information is also made available to the Central Statistics Office to assist that office to discharge its responsibility of collecting, analysing and disseminating statistical information relating to the economic and social life of the country.
Any woman who is entitled to either an unemployment payment in her own right or credited contributions will form part of the live register. Being on the live register gives access to various work supportive and training schemes some administered by my Department and others which are administered principally by FÁS.
In relation to my Department access to the following schemes in the case of both male and female applicants depends on attachment to the live register: Back to work allowance — a minimum period of attachment of six months is required; PRSI exemption — a minimum period of attachment of 13 weeks is required; Second chance education initiatives — a minimum period of attachment of six months is required; Part-time job incentive — a minimum period of attachment of 15 months is required.
All of these programmes are available under the same conditions to both male and female applicants. There is no evidence that the live register requirement is giving rise to any undue difficulties for potential female applicants. With the exception of PRSI exemption, participants in all of these programmes receive a weekly payment which is dependent on or the equivalent of the amount of the relevant unemployment payment. In these circumstances all applicants must be in receipt of an unemployment payment and this means that they have to be attached to the live register.
The setting up of a special register in the case of the programmes administered by my Department is not therefore necessary.
As already indicated, other agencies, particularly FÁS, make use of the condition of attachment to the live register as a prerequisite to qualifying for some training and work supportive schemes. The question of establishing a special register for the purposes of gaining access to such schemes is a matter for these agencies.
At 30 December 1994, there were 2,652 men and 11,853 women signing on the live register for credited contributions. I am aware that people signing for credits are precluded from participating in the Community Employment Programme. I propose to discuss with FÁS ways in which this obstacle to participation can be overcome.
