Written Answers. - Jobs Initiative.
Tony Gregory
Question:
176
Mr. Gregory
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
the criteria and terms set down for participants at the time the jobs initiative was introduced; the number currently involved nationally in the jobs initiative; the number in Dublin; the rights of workers participating in jobs initiatives; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[22844/03]
Tony Gregory
Question:
177
Mr. Gregory
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
the breakdown of the numbers involved in jobs initiatives; the years of service of those working on the jobs initiative programme; if FÁS has drawn the attention of these workers to their rights based on length of service; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[22845/03]
Tony Gregory
Question:
178
Mr. Gregory
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
if her attention has been drawn to the allegations that FÁS is in breach of its responsibilities under labour law as employers of workers in the jobs initiative programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[22846/03]
Tony Gregory
Question:
198
Mr. Gregory
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
if she will make a statement on the future of the whole time jobs initiative; and the steps she is taking to ensure that the 2,500 public service jobs created under this initiative are not lost.
[23400/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 176, 177, 178 and 198 together.
The jobs initiative, JI, programme is a work experience programme for persons 35 years of age or older who have been unemployed for five years or longer. The programme was introduced as a pilot programme in 1996-97 with 1,000 places available. Subsequently provision was expanded to a total of 2,875 places. There are currently in the region of 2,300 participants on the programme and the figure is set to reduce to 2,200 by year end. While the allocation of places per county is a matter for FÁS, there are at present 45 schemes active within the Dublin region with approximately 1,000 participants. Some 23% of participants have been on the scheme for less than one year; 15% between one and two years; 23% for between two and three years; 18% between three and four years; 11% between four and five years; 2% between five and six years; and 8% have been on the scheme for six years.
Participants are offered temporary full-time employment for a period of three years. JI participants have the same rights as other workers in the open labour market in terms of holidays, sick leave, maternity leave, grievance-disciplinary procedures, redundancy payments etc. and any breach of those rights should be reported to my Department for investigation. It should be noted, however, that FÁS is not the employer. Eligible persons are employed by managing agents, with the support of a grant from FÁS for this purpose.
Currently jobs initiative schemes are managed by local managing agents usually at partnership level. These managing agents are legally and administratively the employers of the participants in the JI context. As such it is the local managing agents responsibility to ensure compliance with all relevant legislation.
A number of participants on JI, which was designed as a three-year programme, continue to have difficulty progressing from the programme to employment and have remained on the programme since its commencement. However, the fundamental objective of the programme is to prepare participants to progress into mainstream jobs. The lack of progression for such persons give rise to concerns regarding the effectiveness of the programme, which is currently under review. Decisions on the future participation rate and structure of JI will be taken in the context of the Estimates provision for 2004, having regard to the outcome of the current review process under way.
Question No. 179 withdrawn.
