Thomas P. Broughan
Question:38 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the role of his Department in the multi-agency response to the ongoing job losses on the northside of Dublin and in Fingal. [6616/02]
Written Answers. - Job Losses.
My Department will be actively co-operating with the task force set up recently by the Tánaiste to address the employment and training needs of workers affected by the slow down in employment in the north Dublin area.
The primary role of my Department where people lose employment is to provide a comprehensive information service on social welfare entitlements and to process any applications for unemployment payments as speedily as possible. In addition, customers are advised of employment opportunities and are referred to FÁS for a more focused job placement and training service as appropriate.
These services are available through the network of social welfare local offices. My staff in these offices have been liaising with larger companies in the region which have made staff redundant over the past six months. This liaison involved providing an enhanced information service to workers prior to redundancy and making arrangements for the acceptance of claims in a manner which would minimise the inconvenience to redundant workers.
Officers of my Department are in regular contact with local statutory and voluntary agencies providing education, training and support services to unemployed persons. They have a special working relationship with FÁS through the operation of the employment action plan under which persons who are in danger of becoming long-term unemployed are referred to FÁS for assessment of their needs and for placement in employment or training as appropriate.
Along with promoting departmental initiatives, officers of my Department are also directly involved in partnership with local statutory, voluntary and community groups in devising and delivering employment, training and educational opportunities for disadvantaged persons in the area. It is represented at management board level on four area partnerships in Dublin north and is also actively involved with the local employment services. Furthermore, a number of areas in Dublin north have been targeted under the Government's initiative to give priority attention to areas of particular disadvantage. The initiative, known as revitalising areas by planning, investment and development, or RAPID, include six areas in the northside of Dublin and my Department is actively involved at area implementation team and sub-committee level on these groups.