Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 May 2000

Vol. 519 No. 2

Written Answers. - Job Initiative.

Tony Gregory

Question:

85 Mr. Gregory asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the new guidelines for the wholetime jobs initiative will be available before 30 June 2000; if this deadline will be deferred; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13261/00]

Conor Lenihan

Question:

87 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the plans, if any, she has to change the situation whereby jobs initiative participants can have their local authority rents reviewed upwards and thus discourage people from joining the scheme. [13465/00]

Conor Lenihan

Question:

88 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the exact nature of the new jobs initiative scheme in view of her promise to outline same before Easter 2000. [13466/00]

Conor Lenihan

Question:

89 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the nature of the new jobs initiative scheme; and the way in which it will affect the draw down of secondary benefits, including the local authority rent assessment issue. [13467/00]

Conor Lenihan

Question:

90 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she intends classifying the new jobs initiative scheme as a labour market intervention thus enhancing the entitlement to full retention of secondary benefits by participants. [13468/00]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 87 to 90, inclusive, together.

The job initiative programme, JI, is a three year work experience programme for persons who have been unemployed for five years or longer. The programme is available to persons 35 years of age or older who are in receipt of either unemployment assistance, unemployment benefit or one parent family payment. The fundamental objective of JI is to progress participants into mainstream employment.

A review of JI was carried out during 1999 by Deloitte & Touche, consultants, who made a number of recommendations regarding the future operation of the programme. Some of these recommendations have already been implemented including: an extension of six months for the first phase of participants who have completed their term on the programme to address any further training or development needs they may have; direct entitlement to the following secondary benefits has been extended to JI participants: rent supplement, mortgage interest supplement, local authority mortgage interest supplement, fuel allowance, back to school clothing and footwear allowance, Christmas bonus and the medical card; and JI participants now have an entitlement to the back to work allowance when they progress to employment in the open labour market.

The remaining recommendations are the subject of consultations with the social partners represented on the standing committee on the labour market. My Department intends to pursue separately the matter of JI participants living in local authority accommodation with the Department of Environment and Local Government with a view to considering the appropriateness of having JI income disregarded for the purposes of differential rent assessment.

The process of consultations with the social partners is now nearing completion. It is not my intention to delay the consultation process longer than necessary as I am aware of the urgent need for clarification for sponsors and participants involved with the programme.