asked the Minister for Labour the total number of people employed in County Louth in the various schemes operated by his Department since January 1983 and the total cost in wages, materials, plant hire, supervision and administration.
Written Answers. - County Louth Schemes.
304.
Information in the precise form requested by the Deputy is not readily available. The following data in relation to schemes operated by the National Manpower Service in my Department most closely approximates that sought.
Teamwork Scheme: Teamwork is a community managed scheme designed to help local voluntary organisations provide temporary community based employment for the mutual benefit of the under 25s and their community. Since January 1983 to date, 13 projects have been sanctioned in County Louth providing employment for 96 young workers and 12 supervisors. Grant aid totalling £365,105 has been sanctioned in respect of these projects.
Enterprise Allowance Scheme: The EAS is designed to encourage unemployed persons to establish a business. Since January 1983 to date 770 persons have participated on the enterprise allowance scheme in County Louth involving expenditure in the region of £1,190,800.
Work Experience Programme: The work experience programme is designed to provide young people with access to the world of work and exposure to the working environment. Since January 1983, approximately 1,723 people in County Louth have availed of the work experience programme involving expenditure of £1,027,808.10.
Employment Incentive Scheme: The objectives of the employment incentive scheme are to create new permanent jobs and to increase economic activity by offering to employers financial support to increase employment in their business. Recruitment statistics are not compiled on a county basis. Available figures relate to the North-East Region of the National Manpower Service (comprises Cavan, Monaghan and Louth). Since 30 April 1984, 1,269 notified recruitments have taken place. This represents approximately 6-6.5 per cent of the national total.
Social Employment Scheme (SES): Under the social employment scheme, public sector and voluntary organisations may sponsor work projects which are of benefit to the community. The scheme is aimed at helping the long term unemployed who are over 25 years of age by placing them in employment on such projects.
Statistics relating to the social employment scheme are compiled on an NMS regional basis. The first projects under SES came on stream in April 1985. In the North-East Region of the NMS (Cavan, Monaghan and Louth), 91 projects commenced operation in 1985 providing employment for 446 persons. Grant aid amounting to approximately £2.36 million was allocated for the operation of these projects.
In 1986, an additional 97 projects commenced in the North East Region employing a further 668 persons. Grant aid amounting to approximately £3.54 million has been allocated for the operation of these projects.