asked the Minister for Labour if he will report on the results of the first year of the social employment scheme; and if the scheme has failed to make any impact on the unemployment position, particularly in Dublin.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Social Employment Scheme.
16.
The social employment scheme was set up to help the large numbers of productive and energetic persons who have been unemployed for an extended period to make their contribution to environmental, cultural and social development in their community. The response to this challenge from both sponsors and workers alike has been most encouraging.
The first project under the social employment scheme began in April 1985. Since that time, participation in the scheme has continued to rise steadily. There are currently 9,373 persons employed on 2,347 projects. The target figure of 10,000 jobs set by the Government will be reached by mid-1986.
Approximately two-thirds of the projects operated under the SES are sponsored by public bodies such as local authorities, schools and health boards. Local authorities employ the largest number of people on the scheme. Voluntary bodies sponsor the remaining one-third of SES projects.
There is a wide variety of projects under the scheme which encompass a wide range of activities. The commonest categories are environmental work, cultural activity, educational work, community service and promotion of tourism and heritage. I am glad to be able to tell the Dáil that there is a good supply of project sponsors in most parts of the country. Indeed, a further 1,132 projects are at present approved which, when operational, could provide employment for over 4,000 persons in the coming months.
The eligibility criteria for participation in the SES have recently been widened to increase the catchment group so as to ensure that the National Manpower Service will be able to recruit sufficient persons to meet the demands of all the projects which are due to start or are currently being proposed. In addition, an extra £15 per week is being provided for those on the scheme who had previously been receiving an allowance for an adult dependent as part of their social welfare payment. Most of the difficulties experienced at the early stages of the scheme, such as problems with insurance and trade union agreement, have been successfully resolved by my Department through negotiation with the relevant bodies.
The problems referred to by the Deputy in relation to the operation of the SES in the Dublin area stem from certain industrial relations difficulties in the local authorities concerned, principally Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Corporations. Discussions aimed at resolving these problems are on-going. As the Deputy will appreciate, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on these discussions.
I feel the scheme has achieved its principal objective of helping the long term unemployed at a reasonable net cost to the State. In terms of this objective, it has been an unqualified success.
I have had this question several times with the Minister about the Dublin position. The discussions are not ongoing, they are offputting. It is finished. There is no question of agreement in Dublin. The social employment scheme will not operate and I for one as leader of the Fianna Fáil group on Dublin Corporation have given up. We will not talk about any more ongoing talks. Will the Minister agree to meet the Dublin City Manager, and perhaps some of the personnel, in order to give the money that would have been allowed to Dublin Corporation under the social employment scheme for the formation of some scheme that would give a similar number of employment opportunities? Obviously, that cannot happen under the social employment scheme.
As far as I am concerned discussions are ongoing, because I am informed by the ICTU, who are represented on the monitoring group, that they propose to have this matter resolved. Three unions involved, one of them predominantly and exclusively involved in the Dublin region, have so far refused to allow the operation of the social employment scheme in the Dublin area despite the fact that the conditions which have been offered to that union at the Dublin level have been accepted by the same unions nationally throughout the rest of the country. The Deputy is aware that the three unions involved have exclusive nominating rights for employment in relation to these jobs. It is incomprehensible to me that people who have the right to give jobs to people who are currently knocking at their door looking for employment are effectively preventing those jobs from taking place, even though every assurance that has been sought and required by the unions involved at national level had been obtained and is available to them at local level. In answer to Deputy Ahern's specific request, I am available at any time to meet the County Manager and the City Manager of Dublin, but I think the scheme that has worked for every local authority should be capable of working for Dublin and Dún Laoghaire. Therefore, I will meet them only on that basis.