Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Feb 1999

Vol. 499 No. 3

Written Answers - Family Support Services.

Austin Deasy

Question:

119 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the proposal, if any, he has to change the regulations governing the qualification for family income supplement by FÁS workers in view of the fact that their PRSI contribution status has been changed in line with other PAYE workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2575/99]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern):

Following the introduction of the community employment, CE, scheme in April 1994, the Social Welfare (Family Income Supplement) (Amendment) Regulations, 1994, (S.I. No. 241 of 1994) excluded CE scheme workers from being regarded as being engaged in remunerative full-time employment for FIS purposes.

The extension of class A PRSI to CE workers, which was provided for in the Social Welfare Act, 1996, was introduced in response to representations made by representative organisations, including the Scheme Workers' Alliance and the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed. The purpose of this measure was to enhance the PRSI status of community employment workers by puttting them on a par with other class A workers in so far as their social insurance entitlements are concerned. The key purpose of the CE scheme is to provide part-time employment opportunities to the long-term unemployed with a view to their re-integration into the labour market and to improve their capacity to secure employment in the open economy. The purpose of the FIS scheme, on the other hand, is to provide income support for employees with children and on low earnings and thereby preserve the incentive to take up and remain in employment in the open economy.

I do not believe, therefore, that FIS is an appropriate mechanism for improving the income position of CE workers. I might point out finally that the level of allowance payable to these workers is a matter for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in the first instance.

Brendan Howlin

Question:

120 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will address the problem of lack of resources for the back to work enterprise scheme in view of the success of the scheme and its future potential. [2629/99]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern):

The back to work allowance scheme was introduced in 1993 to encourage long-term unemployed people to leave the live register to take up employment or self-employment opportunities. Over 44,000 people have availed of the scheme since its introduction. A dedicated employment support service was also established to promote the scheme and provide other supports for unemployed people in taking up employment, training or educational opportunities. The range of supports which job facilitators could provide has expanded over the years. My Department currently has 30 jobs facilitators operating at local level throughout the country. In addition there are ten co-ordinators at regional level to whom the job facilitators report and a central support unit for the employment support service generally.

Advice and expertise in relation to the business start-up marketing, book-keeping, etc., is also available from organisations such as FÁS, the local employment service and the area-based partnership companies. Job facilitators work closely with these organisations in arranging training and other opportunities for unemployed people and also with professional companies which specialise in relevant training in that area.

The work of the job facilitators, together with the efforts made by my Department's local office and investigative staff has, in my view, contributed significantly to the major reduction in the live register which has been achieved in recent times. It is my intention that these efforts will be intensified and that a pro-active approach aimed at helping unemployed people back into employment, training, education etc., will continue to be a central feature of the Department's service to clients. Improved co-operation with other agencies, such as FÁS, will be an important feature of this approach.

The scale and nature of the resources necessary to provide the necessary supports and services to unemployed people is kept under review by my Department in the context of managing in the most effective and efficient manner the resources available to the Department generally. I am satisfied that the resources are being applied in an effective way.