Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 January 2014
372. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection following reductions in the budget to those unemployed under 25 years of age, the opportunities being provided to this category of welfare dependant persons to enable them to receive uptraining and training for job placement; the total number on reduced payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1275/14]
View answerThe reduced Jobseeker Allowance payments for under 25s apply to new registrants – existing claimants on a higher rate will not see their rate change. Currently, approximately 22,000 recipients are on the reduced rate of €100 for 18-21 year-olds and a further 14,200 on the reduced rate of €144 for 22-25 year-olds. It is estimated that approximately 13,750 new recipients will be affected by the new rates of €100 for 18-24 year-olds in 2014.
Youth unemployment is being specifically targeted through our Youth Guarantee initiative. Under the initiative, it is intended that young people aged 18-24 years who become unemployed (whether on loss of a job or while seeking a first employment) and register with the benefits/employment service, and who subsequently remain unemployed for four months, will be provided with assistance to secure work or alternatively with a quality offer of training, education or work experience.
In terms of the training and work experience opportunities being provided to the under 25s, the following table taken from the Youth Guarantee Implementation plan outlines the expected provision and associated costs for 2014.
Expected participation, activation programmes, 2014
|
Programme |
Average participation |
Inflow of new participants |
Expected inflow of young people |
|
Training/Education |
|||
|
Youthreach/Community Training Centres |
6,000 |
3,300 |
3,300 |
|
Momentum* |
6,500 |
6,500 |
2,000 |
|
Back to Education Allowance (excl. Momentum)** |
18,500 |
9,300 |
3,300 |
|
Back to Work Enterprise Allowance |
11,000 |
5,500 |
200 |
|
Vocational Training Opportunity Scheme |
5,600 |
2,800 |
500 |
|
FÁS/Solas |
10,300 |
25,000 |
9,500 |
|
Work Experience/Enterprise supports |
- |
- |
- |
|
JobBridge (including planned reserve) |
7,700 |
13,300 |
5,000 |
|
Tús |
7,500 |
7,500 |
1,000 |
|
JobsPlus |
4,000 |
2,000 |
1,500 |
|
Count Enterprise Boards/MFI micro-loans for young people |
150 |
150 |
|
|
International Work Experience and Training |
250 |
250 |
250 |
|
Gateway |
3,000 |
3,000 |
450 |
|
Community Employment |
25,300 |
12,700 |
500 |
|
Total |
105,650 |
92,000 |
28,350 |
|
Memorandum items: PLCs Apprenticeship |
35,000 8,000 |
32,000 2,500 |
22,000 2,000 |
|
Vocational Third Level |
It is estimated that at least 50% of the 41,000 entrants to third level each year are entering courses leading towards defined occupations |
As part of tis overall provision for 2014, and as an initial step towards preparing for implementation of the Guarantee, provision was made in the 2014 Budget for:
- Reducing the threshold (in terms of duration of unemployment) for JobsPlus eligibility from 12 months – to 6 months or less – in the case of persons aged less than 25 years
- An additional intake of 1,500 young people on to the very successful JobBridge scheme
- Ensuring that 1,000 places on the Tús scheme are targeted at young people
- Developing a pilot programme to support young unemployed people to take up opportunities under schemes such as Your First EURES Job
- Ring-fencing a minimum of 2,000 training places for under-25s by the Department of Education and Skills, under a follow-up to the successful Momentum programme that operated in 2013, with income support for participants being provided by the Department of Social Protection
- The Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation making €2.5m available to young entrepreneurs via Micro finance Ireland and other business start-up schemes.
In total, the provision across these headings in the 2014 Budget comes to €46 million.
