Vol. 482 No. 5
39 Ms McManus asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps, if any, which have been taken to implement the commitment given in An Action Programme for the Millennium for a 25,000 place programme which will pay the going rate for the job; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18247/97]
The Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats programme, An Action Programme for the Millennium, contains a commitment to establish a 25,000 place programme which will pay the going rate for the job.
Our objective is to work towards the realisation of that aim in a balanced context of reintegrating unemployed persons back into work, supporting disadvantaged individuals and communities and ensuring that the labour market can respond to the needs of our growing economy. To that end we have made the following progress to date. Some 1,000 Community Employment participants are currently being paid the "rate for the job". Between now and the year 2000 this is being extended, on a gradual basis and subject to a minimum of 12 hours per week, to all participants on the Community Employment Part-Time Job Option. At least 3,000 participants will be paid on a "rate for the job" basis by September 1998, a further 3,000 by September 1999, with full implementation by September 2000.
A pilot whole time job programme "Job Initiative", paying the rate for the job, is now in place. The objective of the programme is to prevent marginalisation among long-term unemployed people living in areas where access to the labour market is extremely limited. Under this pilot programme, funding is being made available for 1,000 full-time jobs in the social economy for the most disadvantaged of the long-term unemployed. Each job can last up to December 1999.
