Vol. 497 No. 2
45 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his Department has followed up communications with claimants who failed to turn up for an interview under the employment action plan but who continued to sign on for a social welfare payment; and the reasons these people failed to turn up for interviews. [24648/98]
As part of the employment action plan for under 25s signing on the live register, FÁS is referring back to my Department those cases where a claimant failed to attend for interview with FÁS. My Department then calls each such person for interview to ascertain the reasons he or she failed to attend and where necessary to review continuing entitlement to receipt of an unemployment payment.
A significant proportion of those who fail to attend for interview do so because they have found employment or re-entered the educational system or taken up a training course in the meantime. A number have transferred to other schemes and a proportion cease signing without giving any reason. As the scheme only began in September and the fallout from the later September referrals to FÁS were still being processed in my Department during October, and indeed are continuing, final figures are not yet available to give a complete picture of the full outcome of the first month's caseload. However, I can say that of those who were still signing, some 50 per cent were rescheduled for interview by FÁS and a further 20 per cent have had their payment suspended while their continuing entitlement is reviewed.
While we are still in the early stages of operating the new measures, it is already clear that they are very successful and I am satisfied that the plan will provide both the encouragement and the means for under 25s to participate actively in, and improve their chances of getting, work.
46 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the special training programmes, if any, his Department has put in place for front line staff involved in interviewing young unemployed people under the employment action plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24647/98]
In accordance with the Government's National Action Plan for Employment, NAPE, all persons under 25 years of age and reaching six months on the live register are being required to attend their local FÁS office where they are interviewed in depth with a view to being offered training, work experience, a job or other employment measure.
Persons who fail to avail of the services under this scheme are then interviewed by staff of my Department to ascertain whether or not they continue to satisfy the conditions for receipt of an unemployment scheme payment in particular the conditions relating to "availability" and "genuinely seeking work". This is a normal feature of the social welfare system and appropriate training is providing in this regard for staff on an on going basis.
My Department recognises that effective and comprehensive training of staff is vital in order to deliver excellent customer service. Front line staff are provided with a comprehensive range of training to enable them to carry out their duties in an effective and efficient manner. A comprehensive customer training programme is currently being delivered to all local office front-line staff. This programme includes specific training on face-to-face communication with customers.
In addition, special training seminars have been held throughout the country for certain local office staff at which the implementation of the employment action plan was discussed. These seminars were attended by deciding officers from each local office and focused on, inter alia, the legislative conditions of entitlement to unemployment benefit and assistance and on the need for proper and fair procedures to be followed in reviewing cases.
Also there is a separate training course for deciding officers to help them underake their decision-making duties especially when assessing complex circumstances. The course includes training on employment and educational supports and on the implementation of control procedures in the unemployment schemes area.
Updated provisions on the requirement to be available for and genuinely seeking employment for the purposes of entitlement to unemployment assistance and unemployment benefit were set out in regulations made earlier this year. Detailed guidelines to accompany the regulations and to assist deciding officers in their application of the "availability" and "genuinely seeking work" conditions were issued to all local offices. In addition, each local office has a designated training officer who is responsible for addressing the training needs of all local office staff. This involves assessing training needs and delivering training responses as necessary. A significant part of the trainer's time is devoted to ensuring that local office staff are prepared to effectively deal with the implmentation of new initiatives.
