Vol. 518 No. 5
28 Mr. Callely asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 128 of 21 March 2000, the total number of non-EU citizens that could work here under the scheme agreed by Government in December 1999; the percentage of the total number that have availed of this scheme and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11927/00]
The dedicated unit in FÁS set up to assist eligible asylum seekers in gaining employment, including identification of training needs, has come into operation in the last two weeks. This unit is located in Tallaght Enterprise Centre in co-operation with Get Tallaght Working. As part of assisting eligible asylum seekers to obtain employment it is intended to assist them in identifying their individual skills and competencies. The unit is currently receiving relevant data on eligible asylum seekers transferred to it from the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs. In the first week, ten eligible asylum seekers have been placed in employment, including one civil engin eer. Staff in the unit are currently undergoing training in the use of the computer systems and in mediation and guidance skills for asylum seekers.
Details from the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs indicate that there were 2,260 asylum seekers eligible to seek employment at the end of March 2000. Their position at the end of March was as follows: 1,088 are on unemployment assistance; 570 are on supplementary welfare allowance and 524 who may be in employment or have left the country. A further 78 are in receipt of a variety of benefits including, lone parents allowance, disability and vocational training opportunities scheme.
As there is an interval between an employee taking up employment and their records transferring from the Revenue Commissioner to the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs, the latter Departments intend to follow up these 524 clients manually. More precise figures should be available from the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs in the near future.
FÁS intend to set up a larger unit in Blanchardstown in the near future. This unit will cater for areas such as the Navan Road, inner city and north Kildare where about 50% of eligible asylum seekers are located.
