I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 106 together.
On Thursday I published the independent review of the community employment programme which was carried by Deloitte & Touche. The review covers the integration option and the job option. The job option is currently being converted into a rate for the job option, on a phased basis. The pilot part-time job opportunities programme no longer exists, some of its features having been incorporated in the rate for the job option. It would be timely to have an independent review of the jobs initiative next year as the first set of participants begin their third and final year.
For the review of community employment Deloitte & Touche were asked to evaluate the success of the programme in meeting its objectives; to consider its efficacy in the light of current and evolving labour market conditions; and to make proposals to improve the programme within existing resources.
The key finding of the review is that community employment is largely meeting its objectives of providing job opportunities for the long-term unemployed and socially excluded and assisting participants to become job or progression-ready. The review makes a case for a substantial reduction in the numbers of places on the programme in the light of the current labour market, i.e., strong growth in employment, reduction in unemployment and long-term unemployment, and tightening labour market giving rise to recruitment difficulties in some sectors. The review further makes the point that any savings from a reduction in the size of CE should be used to provide both enhanced and additional preventative and reintegration labour market supports for long-term unemployed persons either within the proposed remodelled CE programme or through other labour market supports.
The overall point emerging from the report is that for the investment currently made in community employment there could be a significantly better outcome for participants through directing some participants towards other active labour market programmes and through enhancing the training and market linkage elements of the remaining substantial number of places on the programme.
I am anxious to ensure that the proposals in Deloitte & Touche are discussed by and with the social partners. I believe that we should give strategic consideration to the mix and quality of our active labour market programmes so that they progress participants towards jobs, and I believe this should be of paramount concern in related Partnership 2000 discussions.