Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 November 2011
135 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans in conjunction with the Department of Social Protection and the Department of Education and Skills to help the long-term unemployed get back into the labour market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32240/11]
View answerSupporting job creation and tackling unemployment are key objectives for the Government. Delivering these objectives will require a concerted effort across all Government Departments.
The Department of Social Protection is responsible for labour market measures which are aimed at increasing the employability of jobs seekers and assisting them to find work. As part of its particular remit, the Department of Education and Skills provides training, re-skilling and education opportunities for unemployed people to improve their opportunities of re-entering the workforce.
These two Departments are delivering the additional training, education and upskilling places which were announced as part of the Government's Jobs Initiative last May, through programmes such as Job Bridge (the National Internship scheme), Springboard and Tús.
The Programme for Government included a commitment to establish a new National Employment and Entitlements Service to streamline and improve the level of services available to those seeking work. The Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton TD, recently published plans for the development and implementation of the new service which will provide a ‘one stop shop' for people who are seeking to establish their benefit entitlements, looking for a job, or seeking advice about their training options.
The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn TD, has also announced the establishment of a new further education and training authority, SOLAS, which will ensure the provision of high-quality further education and training programmes to jobseekers and other learners. These programmes will be integrated, flexible, and responsive to the needs of learners and the requirements of a changing economy. SOLAS will link courses more closely with the needs of the individual and the labour market. There will be an enhanced role for the VECs in upskilling jobseekers under the new arrangements.
Enhancing the employability of those who are unemployed — and especially the long-term unemployed — must be accompanied by the creation of jobs in the economy. In this context, I am currently working on the development of a Jobs Strategy which will set out a series of clear, actionable measures to support the creation of jobs. I have sought the views my colleagues in Government on the Jobs Strategy as part of an engagement process that also includes enterprise and wider interests.
The Jobs Strategy will be published in January. In the meantime, I will continue to work with my Government colleagues and with my own Department's agencies to develop employment opportunities by improving the competitiveness of the economy, growing indigenous enterprises and attracting inward investment.
