Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Jul 1996

Vol. 467 No. 7

Written Answers. - Dundalk (Louth) Employment Statistics.

Dermot Ahern

Question:

35 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Taoiseach if he will address the alarming statistics regarding long-term unemployment in Dundalk, County Louth, in view of the recently published report by the OECD on Irish job creating initiatives as part of the Government's EU local development programme; if he will give detail of the the initiatives taken in this respect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14354/96]

The Taoiseach

The OECD report titled, Ireland, Local Partnerships and Social Innovation, was launched by Deputy Gay Mitchell, Minister of State, with responsibility for European Affairs and local development, on 30 May 1996 at a conference held in Dublin Castle. Copies of the report have been placed in the Dáil Library.

The report provides compelling evidence of the potential of local partnerships to be responsive and innovative in tackling local economic and social problems. A number of case studies were undertaken as part of the study one of which was Paksort in Dundalk. The expert group found that the community in Dundalk displayed a striking level of ingenuity and problem-solving in the way they organised themselves, planned and worked to achieve their various objectives. The report considered that the Paksort project and others like it were impressive and tangible examples of partnership and solidarity between all sectors in a local community for the benefit of that community's future.

Under the Operational Programme for Local Urban and Rural Development 1994—1999, 38 partnerships have been established in designated areas of disadvantage. Twelve of these partnerships were in existence under the Area-Based Pilot Initiative under theProgramme for Economic and Social Progress, with Dundalk Enterprise Partnership being one of those Partnerships. Thus since 1991, the Dundalk Partnership has been successfully engaged in addressing issues of social exclusion, including long-term unemployment, in a participative way.

Following the appraisal of the Action Plan of the Dundalk Partnership, Area Development Management (ADM) Ltd. has allocated £2,547,000 to the Dundalk Partnership for the period of the operational programme.

Among the activities which the partnership is engaged in are: enterprise promotion and development; the Local Employment Service; business advice and support; education, training and childcare and environmental improvements.

In addition to the Local Development Programme the Task Force on Long-Term Unemployment made a series of recommendations to address long-term unemployment which are being put in place by the Minister for Enterprise and Employment.