Vol. 511 No. 3
110 Mrs. Owen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position of people on the whole-time jobs initiative scheme who at the end of the six months have not been able to get full-time jobs in view of her decision to extend phase one by six months; if such qualified persons will be entitled to take up a second period of three years on the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24387/99]
The job initiative programme, which was launched as a pilot initiative by the Government in 1996, is an active labour market intervention measure specifically targeted at persons 35 years of age or over and unemployed or in receipt of lone parents allowance for a minimum of five years.
Deloitte and Touche, consultants, was commissioned by my Department in April 1999 to undertake a review of the effectiveness of job initiative against its objectives on reaching the end of the first phase of its operation. As already announced in the Adjournment debate on the job initiative programme in this House on 11 November 1999, I have, in accordance with one of the recommendations by the consultants, decided to provide a six months extension to participants in phase 1 of the programme who were due to complete their three year term on the programme on 31 December 1999. During the extra six months on the programme greater attention will be given to the training and educational needs of the participants than heretofore, and participants will be encouraged and given every assistance to seek alternative employment in the open labour market.
The consultants have recommended that roll-overs on the job initiative programme should be limited to 10 per cent of participants and to a period of one year. They also recommend that such an extension will only be considered on the basis that it will facilitate the further development and progression of individuals. Consultation on this recommendation and others outlined in the report will take place with the social partners in coming weeks. Once this process has taken place I will take the final decisions on the future operation of the job initiative programme.
