Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 October 2012
225. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation his views on the way in which the jobs plan is creating jobs for the long term unemployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41823/12]
View answerThere are two key elements to the Government’s strategy to address unemployment – the Action Plan for Jobs and Pathways to Work.
The Action Plan for Jobs has set the objective of supporting the creation of 100,000 new jobs in the economy by 2016 by transforming the operating environment for business, improving our competitiveness and building on our strengths in a number of key sectors. The aim of Pathways to Work is to ensure that, as the economy recovers, as many of those new jobs as possible are filled by people who are on the Live Register.
Pathways to Work places a particular emphasis on supporting those who are long term unemployed. It has an objective of ensuring that at least 75,000 of those who are currently long-term unemployed will move into employment by 2015. It also aims to reduce the average time spent on the Live Register from 21 months, to less than 12 months by the end of 2015.
The establishment of the new integrated National Employment and Entitlement Service under Pathways to Work will transform the nature and level of engagement between our employment services and those who are unemployed. It will also provide better targeted services to both job seekers and employers.
The labour market activation measures outlined in Pathways include over 85,000 job placement and work experience places to be delivered this year by the Department of Social Protection, and over 450,000 training and education places to be delivered by the Department of Education and Skills.
There are also financial supports available to employers who recruit a person who is long term unemployed. These include Revenue’s “Job Assist” scheme and the Employer’s PRSI Exemption scheme operated by the Department of Social Protection. As part of the Action Plan process, I have been actively promoting these schemes to employers in recent months, with the support of business representative bodies.
We must continue to do all we can to facilitate the return to work of those who have lost their jobs. I am currently preparing the 2013 Action Plan for Jobs on behalf of the Government and will be exploring further measures which can be taken to transform our economy and support job creation.
