Vol. 475 No. 7
12 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social Welfare the age and gender profile of the total number of unemployed persons; the special consideration, if any, he has given to the 25 to 44 age group; the new and additional measures he has considered in this regard; the success of such measures to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5633/97]
The age profile of the total number of persons on the live register on 18 October 1996 is set out in the following table:
|
Age |
Males |
Females |
Total |
|
Under 20 years |
9,034 |
7,333 |
16,367 |
|
20 to 24 years |
29,212 |
21,025 |
50,237 |
|
25 to 34 years |
47,111 |
31,059 |
78,170 |
|
35 to 44 years |
39,480 |
22,186 |
61,666 |
|
45 to 54 years |
31,052 |
13,303 |
44,355 |
|
55 to 59 years |
8,548 |
3,825 |
12,373 |
|
60 to 64 years |
4,064 |
1,798 |
5,862 |
|
Totals |
168,501 |
100,529 |
269,030 |
This shows that just over half the people on the live register were in the age group 25 to 44. To put this into context, the 1996 Labour Force Survey showed that 53 per cent of the labour force was in this age group.
An analysis of a sample of people leaving the live register in the month of January 1997 shows that roughly half of those who left the register were in the 25 to 44 year age group. This is similar to the overall proportion of this age group on the register. This would suggest that 25 to 44 year olds are not, in themselves, a particularly disadvantaged group vis-à-vis other categories of unemployed, although, of course, some people in this age group such as those who are long-term unemployed or those with poor educational achievements are in need of special measures.
The Department of Social Welfare has taken an active approach to assisting unemployed people of all age groups to re-enter the active labour market.
I understand from what the Minister of State said that there are just under 300,000 people on the live register, excluding those who are in receipt of disability benefit, invalidity benefit and pre-retirement schemes. Those are additional to the figure of 300,000 or so. My question clearly asked what new and additional measures have been considered for the 25-44 age category. Will the Minister of State give those figures? More importantly, will he indicate the address or region of the majority grouping within that age category? Am I correct in saying that it is Dublin?
I do not have information on the latter part of the Deputy's question, but I will try to make it available. It is a separate question. In relation to people in receipt of disability or sickness benefit or any illness-related payments, as the Deputy knows such people have never been on the live register. They are not eligible for mention in the context of the live register because they are not available for work. They have always been catered for by way of a different payment system of which the Deputy is aware.
In relation to the group to which the Deputy's question refers, of particular benefit in this regard is the Back to Work Allowance, which allows certain unemployed people to retain part of their social welfare entitlements, as well as secondary benefits, on taking up certain forms of employment or self-employment. It has been shown that those who are particularly adept in taking up places on that scheme happen to be in that age category.
This scheme has been of particular benefit to people in the 25 to 44 year age group. A survey of entrants to the scheme showed that 74 per cent of participants were aged 25 to 44, which is a very high percentage. In this year's budget the number of places available on the scheme was increased from 17,000 to 22,000.
Other measures taken in this year's budget to help the unemployed, and that age group in particular, to get back to work include: improvements in the Family Income Supplement; substantial reductions in tax and PRSI; a more tapered withdrawal of adult dependant allowances, making it easier for the spouse of an unemployed person to take up, or remain in, work; and further increases in child benefit, continuing our policy of making income support for children more neutral vis-á-vis the employment status of the parent.
These measures complement the various schemes operated by FÁS to help get unemployed people back to work. These include Jobstart and Community Employment. In the case of Community Employment, a three-year option is now available to very long-term unemployed people over the age of 35.
I assure the Deputy that the Government will continue to pursue the pro-employment policies which have led to record growth in employment in the last three years, while continuing to make available special arrangements to ensure that the most disadvantaged can maximise their chances of gaining available employment.
The Minister of State mentioned a figure of 22,000 in relation to the back to work scheme. There are thousands of unemployed people in the Dublin region. Given the facts and figures he has available, will he indicate the actual number of people unemployed, particularly in the 25-44 age category to which the question refers, with a Dublin address or in the Dublin region?
As I said, I do not have that information. It is a separate question. If the Deputy had asked for that information in the context of the overall question I could have got it for him. I will try to get that information for the Deputy.
This is a very important and relevant question and policies should be aimed at identified blackspots. The Minister is aware that the majority of people on the live register in that category live in the Dublin region. My question related to the new and additional measures required to give those in this age category an opportunity——
The Deputy is making a speech.
The Dublin region has been dealt a devastating blow this week as a result of Government policy. This is appalling.
The Deputy did not raise this matter in his question and, consequently, I do not have that information in my brief. The measures to alleviate unemployment are being applied equally throughout the country——
They are not.
——and are having the same impact in all areas. This is the intention of the Government, the Minister for Social Welfare and me. It is not true to imply that incentives such as the back to work scheme have failed in some areas. In areas of high unemployment there is a higher take up under the various schemes, which have been very successful. A series of other schemes to supplement these initiatives have been implemented by FÁS and the Department of Social Welfare so that the long-term unemployed and those living in disadvantaged areas can compete in the workplace with those who have not been so disadvantaged.
This is not happening. These schemes have failed.
These schemes are extremely successful and it is unfair to participants and those who organise them to suggest they have failed.
Those people will tell the Minister the schemes have failed. The Jobstart programme is a disaster.
These schemes have been very successful and the level of participation in them by the general public and those referred to in the Deputy's question is exceptional. Participants also enjoy a high level of job satisfaction.
The Minister referred to the impact of the various palliatives announced by the Government to mask its abysmal failure to tackle unemployment and, in particular, long-term unemployment. However, this is contradicted by the figures and he should have referred to the lack of impact of these measures. Will he accept that the Jobstart programme announced in last year's budget has been an abysmal failure? Does the Government intend to replace or reorganise this scheme or to reduce the age limit? I raise this question because of the large number of people in my constituency aged between 21 and 35 years of age who do not qualify for participation in the scheme.
There is no age limit on participation in the Jobstart programme.
On a point of order——
I will call the Deputy later.
The only limitation is that a person has to be in receipt of unemployment benefit or a lone parent's allowance from the Department of Social Welfare for at least three years. The scheme is targeted towards the long-term unemployed.
Has it worked?
It is not the subject matter of the Deputy's question but I will give the information for the benefit of the Deputies opposite. This and other schemes are aimed at alleviating hardship and reducing the level of unemployment.
Have they worked?
They have been extremely successful and will continue to be so. The support they have received from local communities is a clear indication of their success. The significant increase in the number of participants in the back to work scheme since the Government took office is an indication of its success. The same applies to the other schemes to which I referred and which were not specifically referred to in the Deputy's question.
How can the Minister say the Jobstart programme has been a success when 5,000 places were announced by the Minister for Finance but only 250 took him up on his invitation during its first year of operation? How many people are now participating in the scheme? Does the Government propose to reduce the age limit or reorganise the scheme to make it meaningful and workable?
As the Deputy is aware, those are separate questions.
On a point of order, I gave the Minister official figures supplied to me by FÁS and I would like to know if he is denying their accuracy?
I compliment the Deputy from Limerick on his skill in raising an issue which he believes will make a reasonable good sound bite. However, this sound bite is wrong as he is pursuing a different issue.
We heard that before.
The Minister should answer my question.
If we had reached later questions on the Order Paper I would have been able to respond with an equally good sound bite.
The Minister will never equal Deputy O'Dea.
However, given that he is raising supplementary questions which are more relevant to another question I cannot respond to the extent that I would like.
Will the Minister forward me the information on the social welfare recipients in the age category to which I referred and the addresses or regions in which they reside? He spoke very highly of the back to work scheme. Who introduced the scheme?
The Deputies opposite have a tendency to claim credit for all the positive measures introduced during the past 100 years.
Who introduced the scheme?
It was introduced by Deputy Woods who I am sure could have given the Deputy replies to his questions so that he would not have had to raise them with me.
We want to hear what the Minister knows about it.
It is important to point out that the scheme has been expanded and improved by the Government in the last three budgets.
Well done Deputy Woods.
Deputy Woods has fully supported our proposals which have ensured that the scheme is a success.
Deputy Woods will do the same with the Jobstart programme when he gets his hands on it.
That concludes questions for today.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
