Vol. 503 No. 4
46 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of jobs facilitators operating in his Department; the plans, if any, he has to increase the number; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10332/99]
48 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason the majority of people who were unemployed for over three years or more and left the live register during February 1999 did not receive the support of the back to work allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10338/99]
60 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the current number of people participating on the back to work allowance and area allowance schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10333/99]
78 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that, for people living in certain areas of the country, a list of certain businesses, mainly taxi and construction businesses, will not be considered under the back to work allowance scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10337/99]
159 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of employees, self-employed and employers availing of the back to work allowance scheme; his views on the scheme; the changes, if any, proposed in the conditions or operation of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10399/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 46, 48, 60, 78 and 159 together.
The back to work allowance scheme is an integral part of my Department's programme of initiatives designed to encourage long-term unemployed people to return to the active labour force. There are currently 26,828 persons receiving the allowance of whom 15,685 are in employment and 11,143 are in self-employment. In addition, it is estimated that there are approximately 16,000 employers participating in the scheme.
I am satisfied that the scheme has been a major success in encouraging long-term unemployed people to take up employment or self-employment opportunities with the support of the allowance and the additional supports available. Over 47,000 unemployed people have done so since the scheme was introduced in 1993.
Jobs facilitators form the core of my Department's employment support service which is there to assist unemployed people to take up employment or self-employment opportunities with the support of the back to work allowance. I have no doubt that the work of the facilitators, together with the efforts made by my Department's local office and investigative staff, has made a significant contribution to the 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 proactive 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 our customers. Improved co-operation with other state agencies, such as FÁS and the local employment service, is an important feature of this approach.
My Department has 33 officials currently operating in the employment support area. In addition, there are ten co-ordinators at regional level and a central support unit for the employment support service generally. I am currently considering how best the range of my Department's services for unemployed people might be developed in the future and the role of the jobs facilitator will be looked at in that context.
No decision has been taken to exclude any categories of business from the back to work allowance. However, when assessing projects for approval one of the factors taken into account both by the jobs facilitators and enterprise officers in the partnership companies is displacement i.e. the extent to which the new enterprise may displace existing businesses of a similar nature. In some instances, displacement problems have arisen and, consequently, each application is assessed on its own merits having regard to the displacement potential.
