Vol. 465 No. 5
63 Mrs. O'Rourke asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the number of persons employed in the Jobstart programme which was announced in the budget on 23 January 1996 and which was intended to help the long-term unemployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10030/96]
64 Mrs. O'Rourke asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the number of persons employed on the pilot whole-time jobs option programme which was announced in the budget on 23 January 1996 and which was intended to help the long-term unemployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10031/96]
65 Mrs. O'Rourke asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the number of persons that have been employed in the Workplace programme which was announced in the budget on 23 January 1996 and which was intended to help the long-term unemployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10032/96]
66 Mrs. O'Rourke asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the number of persons that have been employed in the 18 and 19 year olds special measure which was announced in the budget on the 23 January 1996; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10033/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 to 66, inclusive, together.
All the measures referred to are new initiatives and the following arrangements apply in regard to their implementation.
The planned start up date for Workplace and Jobstart is the end of May 1996. Both programmes will be heavily promoted by FÁS and the new local employment services and I am confident that they will have a considerable impact on improving the employment prospects of unemployed people. Five thousand places or people will ultimately be provided for on an ongoing basis under each of these programmes. The projected up-take on Workplace by the end of the year is some 2,000 while the up-take on Jobstart is projected at between 1,200-1,500.
On-going discussions are taking place between my Department, FÁS and the Department of Social Welfare regarding the implementation of the special measures for 18 and 19 year olds which will provide opportunities for 500 young unemployed people at any one time. It is intended that the programme will apply for those 18 and 19 year olds who are six months on the live register. I would see this initiative becoming operative during the autumn of this year. The measures will include a youth progression programme for each individual designed to encourage young people into the labour market and to prevent them from drifting into prolonged dependence on the live register.
The pilot whole time jobs option will come into operation in July and will provide 1,000 additional appointments for long-term unemployed people in areas of high unemployment in the cities of Cork, Limerick and Dublin.
