Desmond J. O'Malley
Question:20 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he will give a progress report on the jobstart scheme. [10560/97]
Written Answers. - Employment Schemes.
Jobstart is a recruitment subsidy scheme I introduced last summer and is aimed at enticing employers to take on those who are three years or more unemployed against a background where such persons are often by-passed when it comes to filling vacancies.
There are currently just over 1,200 people on the programme and our target is to reach 2,000 by the end of the year. Progress in terms of take-up was initially slow but has steadily improved. In that regard, past experience has shown that recruitment incentives require a lead in time before becoming established. This is particularly so with Jobstart given that it is targeted at the most disadvantaged of the long-term unemployed.
In order to raise the profile of the programme and boost its take-up rate FÁS have arranged high profile regional launches and advertised extensively on local radio, local magazines and newspapers as well as on local cable television. In addition presentations have been organised for regional-local employer bodies and mail shots have been sent to companies.
All of these activities have helped boost the take up rate in recent months and I am confident that FÁS will achieve the target of having 2,000 long-term unemployed people engaged in employment under this programme by the end of the year.
Michael Woods
Question:21 Dr. Woods asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he will facilitate women on deserted wives' benefit and widow's pension in obtaining a place on community employment schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9924/97]
Noel Ahern
Question:225 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he will apportion a number of community employment places to married women trying to return to the workforce who would be most suited to the part-time positions under the community employment schemes. [10595/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 225 together.
The community employment programme is targeted at a particular severely disadvantaged group of unemployed people, that is, those registered long-term unemployed whose principal or only source of income is an unemployment compensation payment or certain other social welfare means tested payments. Limited resources, unfortunately, do not make it possible to provide community employment for all unemployed people. It is necessary, therefore, to target the programme at those most in need. The eligibility criteria for community employment is a fair, objective and cost effective way of achieving that target.
To satisfy the eligibility criteria, persons with children who are in receipt of survivor's contributory pension or deserted wives' benefit can apply to transfer to one parent family payment in order to become eligible to participate in community employment. In addition, married unemployed people can swop their social welfare entitlements in order to qualify for participation on the programme.In this way, a married person who meets the eligibility criteria can transfer their entitlement to a spouse who is not on the live register, in order for that person to qualify for participation on community employment.
The eligibility criteria for community employment only came into effect last year following a detailed review of community employment and in response to the recommendations of the Task Force on Long-term Unemployment. They were designed to target the programme at those priority groups already referred to. I have no plans at present to widen the eligibility criteria. However, I keep all programmes under constant scrutiny in so far as their objectives and effectiveness are concerned.
All unemployed people, including married women who wish to return to the workforce, are eligible to participate in FÁS mainstream training-specific skills training programmes. Also from time to time FÁS offer return to work courses for women who wish to return to the workforce.
Michael McDowell
Question:22 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he will provide a progress report on the workplace scheme. [10561/97]
Workplace is a work experience programme designed to bring together employers and persons who are unemployed for six months or more for a five week trial period, with no strings attached on either side. During this period an unemployed person retains their previous social welfare entitlement and status but also receives a top up allowance towards the cost of travel and meals.
Placement can be with employers who have vacancies or with employers who can provide quality work experience opportunities. On 11 April 1997 a total of 863 unemployed persons had participated in the workplace programme of which approximately 50 per cent were subsequently offered a job.