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]
Vol. 549 No. 3
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]
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.