asked the Minister for Labour when the National Manpower Service will be fully computerised; the present stage of computerisation within the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - National Manpower Service.
548.
Computerised facilities have been introduced in the O'Connell Bridge House, D'Olier House, Coolock, Finglas, Dún Laoghaire and Bray offices of the Eastern Region of the National Manpower Service. Computerising the job seekers register is a major operation because of its size. I expect, however, that all these offices will be fully computerised by the end of this year.
I have engaged consultants to carry out a study of the feasibility of a computer system to assist in the operation of the remaining National Manpower Service Offices. While not anticipating the results of the study, I expect a significant number of additional offices to be computerised in 1985.
549.
asked the Minister for Labour the total number of people registered by the National Manpower Service since its initiation; the total number of people placed in jobs by the National Manpower Service since its initiation; the total number of people referred to AnCO for training since its initiation; the total number of people referred to the Youth Employment Agency for temporary youth work since its initiation; the total number of people referred to the Department of Social Welfare for unemployment benefits or assistance since its initiation; and if he will make a statement on this system.
The National Manpower Service was set up at the end of 1971 and became fully operational at the end of 1972. Since then 849,381 job-seekers have been registered by the service. A breakdown of this figure by year is given in Table 1. In the same period, 253,569 job-seekers were placed in employment. A breakdown of this figure by year is also given in Table 1 below.
The NMS advise persons for whom they cannot find employment of other options available including training courses organised by AnCO. Statistics of numbers of persons referred to AnCO for training are not, however, available.
The number of young people catered for on temporary employment schemes directly administered by the Youth Employment Agency is limited. It is agency policy that youth training and employment programmes should be administered by established manpower agencies. The youth employment levy is used to fund such programmes and persons are recruited through the National Manpower Service. The number of young persons who were placed by the Service on levy funded programmes in 1983 (i.e. the first full year of levy) is estimated at 29,000.
The National Manpower Service have no function in referring people to the Department of Social Welfare for unemployment benefit or assistance. It is usual practice for unemployed job-seekers to report direct to an employment exchange before registering with NMS and the number who register first with the Manpower Service is negligible.
Close liaison exists between the National Manpower Service and the Employment Exchanges to ensure that unemployed persons are given priority in the filling of vacancies notified.
Table 1
|
Year |
Job-seekers Registered |
Vacancies Filled |
|
1973 |
37,961 |
13,728 |
|
1974 |
45,731 |
15,724 |
|
1975 |
51,033 |
15,024 |
|
1976 |
59,431 |
18,549 |
|
1977 |
64,224 |
19,774 |
|
1978 |
67,275 |
26,830 |
|
1979 |
73,868 |
30,700 |
|
1980 |
88,867 |
27,429 |
|
1981 |
106,342 |
27,316 |
|
1982 |
120,057 |
30,775 |
|
1983 |
134,592 |
27,720 |
|
849,381 |
253,569 |