Vol. 502 No. 4
34 Mrs. Owen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the proposals, if any, she has to extend beyond three years the period of time for a participant in the job initiative scheme operated by FÁS; the plans, if any, she has to allow people over a certain age in this scheme to continue on such a scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8349/99]
41 Mr. Allen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the proposals, if any, she has to extend beyond three years the period of time for a participant in the job initiative scheme operated by FÁS; the plans, if any, she has to allow people over a certain age in this scheme to continue on such a scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8350/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 34 and 41 together.
The job initiative is a work re-integration programme targeted at the very long-term unemployed, persons on the live register for five years or more and aged 35 or over. Job initiative participants have access to three years' temporary employment. The 1999 budget added an additional 875 places to job initiative provision, bringing the total number of places available to 2,875.
The first 1,000 job initiative participants are in the third and final year of their programme. An independent review of the pilot programme is being commissioned and any policy decisions regarding the future of the programme will be deferred until this report is to hand which should be by the end of May 1999. On the question of a further extension for the current participants, I have to stress that the fundamental objective of the programme is to facilitate their reintegration into the open labour market. I understand a number of participants have already left the programme prior to completing three years to take up jobs. This is an encouraging sign of the programmes efficacy and of the motivation of participants.
On the basis of experience gained, my hope would be that a significant number of participants should be able to get jobs in the open labour market on completion of the programme and FÁS will provide progression advice and support to all participants in the lead up to completion. Programme sponsors have particular obligations in this regard also. I accept, however, that there may be some participants who face particular problems in taking this final step and can assure the Deputy that we will seek to deal with such cases in a sympathetic way.
