Tony Gregory
Question:455 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social Welfare his response to the issues raised in a submission from the Connolly Centre for the Unemployed (details supplied) in Dublin 8. [25261/96]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
Pat Upton
Question:456 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Social Welfare the steps, if any, he is taking to ensure that women sign on for credits; and the action, if any, he is planning to ensure that they are not discouraged from so doing. [25303/96]
Pat Upton
Question:457 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Social Welfare the steps, if any, he is taking to ensure that women are made aware of the fact that they can sign on in their own right, provided they are available for, capable of and genuinely seeking work. [25304/96]
Pat Upton
Question:458 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Social Welfare the steps, if any, he is taking to make women aware of the fact that they may have an entitlement to sign on in their own right even if their partner is working. [25305/96]
Joe Costello
Question:461 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his attention has been drawn to the campaign by the Irish Organisation of the Unemployed to make women aware of their rights to be included on the live register and to participate in State schemes of education, training and employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1072/97]
Seamus Brennan
Question:462 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for Social Welfare the arrangements, if any, which have been made to inform unemployed women of their right to sign-on for assistance and credits in their own names provided they are available for and genuinely seeking work; his views on whether there are difficulties in getting this message across in view of the decision of the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed to commence a campaign entitled "Breaking Down the Barriers - Women's Equality in the Labour Market"; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1117/97]
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 455, 456, 457, 458, 461 and 462 together.
Any person making a claim for an unemployment payment must demonstrate that he or she is capable of, available for and genuinely seeking employment and any person signing for credited contributions must show that they are capable of and available for work. These conditions apply equally to both male and female applicants. Subject to these conditions any person, male or female, married or unmarried, is entitled to make a claim.
Every effort is made to ensure that persons are fully aware of their rights and entitlements and are enabled to avail of the wide range of schemes provided under the social welfare system.
A comprehensive range of information leaflets and booklets relating to all of my Department's schemes are available at all social welfare local offices and a large number of other public offices such as centres for the unemployed, post offices, libraries, etc. All scheme developments and improvements are widely advertised using an appropriate media mix at local and national level. In addition, the Department actively supports independent voluntary organisations in providing information and advice on the range of social welfare services available.
A number of important issues concerning women's rights to sign on the live register of unemployed persons and their access to employment and training schemes were raised by the National Women's Council in association with the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed in the recently initiated campaign entitled "Breaking Down the Barrier — Women's Equality in the Labour Market". The campaign included a national sign-on day and the circulation to public representatives of a submission concerning these matters. The Connolly Centre for the Unemployed was among the organisations which made such a submission.
The issues raised are being addressed by my Department in a number of ways as follows: an information leaflet entitled "Signing on the Live Register" is now available at all the Department's local offices. This leaflet gives information on the live register itself, details about unemployment payments and credited contributions and how to claim; the services available through my Department include locally based job facilitators who inform and advise people of the various options available to them; the Department is taking measures to ensure that spouses of unemployed persons are aware of their right to sign-on the live register where they satisfy the conditions to do so; the option, currently available under the community employment and the part-time job opportunities programmes, which allow a person to participate in either schemes in lieu of his/her spouse, is being actively promoted; and finally, the Government agreed to my proposal that the social partners, the National Women's Council and the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed be invited to participate in a working party with the Departments of Social Welfare and Enterprise and Employment to examine the underlying issues that need to be discussed in the matter of access by women to State run employment schemes, training programmes and educational opportunities and to make recommendations to Government in this matter. This working party will be established shortly.