It is mystifying to try to understand what is happening in the Tánaiste's Department and why the Tánaiste has been unable to clarify the future of the jobs initiative scheme for a number of months now. This is a good scheme which was targeted especially at the over-35s who had been out of work for five years or longer and as such was focused on a group, many of whom thought they might never re-enter the work force Despite variations in its operation, it is agreed that it has been a good scheme. These people are guaranteed three years employment at the rate for the job and it offers a way back into the work force that many of these people thought might never be open to them again.
I was associated with the creation of the scheme and for that reason, I have taken a particular interest in it. There are many people in my constituency who have started work again as a result of this scheme. The first phase of those people were due to conclude their three years last December. In the interim, the Tánaiste had commissioned, as all Ministers now do, Deloitte & Touche or whatever group of consultants of which one can think, to assess the scheme. I would have thought that if one met a few people in The Square in Tallaght or talked to the ushers on the way into the Department, they could tell one the merits of the scheme from sitting on the barstool in the pub. However, that is the way we do things now. She received the Deloitte & Touche report and while she was contemplating what to do about it, she reasonably extended the life of the first batch of workers for six months from last December. This means that almost 600 people are due to have their employment terminated next month.
I have raised this on several occasions, by way of an Adjournment matter, parliamentary ques tion and so on. I warned that this situation would arise and that there was a need to think out clearly the future of this programme and we still have not managed to achieve any clarity on it. I raised it with the Tánaiste on the Order of Business this morning. I welcomed what she said but on studying it, it does not amount to any more than an aspiration to be positive and to prevent these people becoming unemployed. That does not answer many of the questions posed by the people concerned. I hope that if the Minister of State, Deputy Ryan, is standing in for the Tánaiste, he will be in a position to clarify these matters now.
During Question Time on the Thursday before Easter, the Tánaiste told me that her decision would be available and the report would be available to me that weekend, which was Easter weekend. I have tried to obtain it every second day since then. I still have not received it. I understand there was a meeting with the social partners, the real Government, on Monday and that the Minister has gone back to the drawing board to rewrite some sections of the report. There are people involved who want to know what will happen to them. Some of their employment situations are quite complex. They do not want to stay forever on the jobs initiative scheme. Ideally, they would like to progress. That is not feasible in all cases for a variety of reasons and they want to know what the future holds for them. With regard to the question of roll-over, the Department made certain promises, but we do not know who is eligible for roll-over. We do not know who, if anybody, is eligible for redundancy. Different sponsors take different positions. One sponsor said such workers are entitled to redundancy and the workers taken on by that sponsor were told that on recruitment, while another employer, who has taken legal advice on the matter, said such workers are not eligible for redundancy. We do not know what supports will be in place to facilitate the progression of those workers into mainstream employment. We do not know if the sponsors will continue to operate the programme if the current participants must be let go and new entrants recruited.
We do not know what happens various social economy projects, which are complex and do meaningful work that involves the acquisition of necessary skills. Now that people have only acquired the necessary skills and these projects are up and running on a fragile enough basis, it is suggested that those participating in the programmes must make way for a new batch of entrants. A number of detailed questions need to be answered. I hope the Minister of State can indicate the future of this programme and when we will know the detailed answer to the myriad of questions that arise so that the people concerned can be reassured.
