Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 11 Feb 1988

Vol. 377 No. 8

Written Answers. - Training and Social Employment Schemes.

104.

Mr. J. Mitchell

asked the Minister for Labour if he will outline all present schemes under which people who would be otherwise unemployed are being trained or socially employed; of each scheme the amount of money paid; if he has any plans for the expansion of these schemes or the introduction of new ones; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Labour (Mr. B. Ahern)

Employment schemes and training programmes for the unemployed are managed by FÁS and CERT. The following is the information on the major employment and training programmes:

Scheme or Programme	Objectives	Payments
1. FÁS
(a) Training
(i) Skills Foundation	Training in basic skills for early school leavers	£20 allowance for under 17 years
		£25 allowance for 17 years
		£37.80 basic allowance for 18 and over
(ii) Apprenticeship	First year off-the-job training in the designated apprenticeship	Pay based on rates for the particular craft
(iii) Enterprise	To identify, encourage and train potential entrepreneurs	Weekly allowance as (i) above
(iv) Specific Employable Skills	Providing training to meet local industrial and commercial needs	Weekly allowance as (i) above
(v) Building on Experience	A combination of appropriate formal training with practical work experience for the long-term unemployed	Weekly allowance as (i) above
(vi) Community Youth Training Programme (CYTP)	Involves youths receiving training while participating in projects beneficial to local communities	Weekly allowance as (i) above
(vii) Local Training Initiatives	Responds to local community requests in areas where other programmes e.g. CYTP are not appropriate	Weekly allowance as (i) above
(viii) Community Training Workshops	Courses for disadvantaged young people	Weekly allowance as (i) above
(ix) Travelling People's Workshops	Provides courses for Travellers	Weekly allowance as (i) above
(x) Job Search Training Courses	Designed to cater for the particular needs of unemployed persons identified under the Job Search Programme	Social Welfare payments
(b) Employment
(i) Social Employment Scheme	Offers part-time work for 12 months on projects of community value for over 25s on UB over 12 months or UA	£60 basic for a 2½ day week
(ii) Teamwork	Offers full-time work for 12 months on projects of community value for under 25s	£60 per week
(iii) Employment Incentive Scheme	Employment increases by means of weekly wage subsidy to employers taking on extra workers	£30 per week or £60 per week (for over 25s long term unemployed)
(iv) Enterprise Scheme	Assists persons in receipt of Social Welfare payments to be self employed	£30 or £50 weekly depending on previous Social Welfare entitlements
(v) Graduate Subsidy Programme	To provide employment opportunities in specific skills and sectors and encourage companies to expand their expertise in key business areas	Subsidy per annum per person employed of £3,000 or £3,600 depending on qualification.
(vi) Community Enterprise Programme	Assists local community groups and redundant workers to set up enterprises	Grants ranging from Development Grants of £800 to Enterprise Worker Grants of £17,500 for one year.
2. CERT
(i) Courses for the Unemployed	Provides basic craft training for unemployed people seeking jobs within the hotel, catering and tourism industry	£20 allowance for under 17 years £25 allowance for 17 years £37.80 basic allowance for 18 and over
(ii) Formal Craft Training	Provides formal academic training in VECs and RTCs and work experience for school leavers seeking a career in the catering and tourism industry	£13.89 allowance for those living at home £34.86 allowance for those living away from home.

It is difficult to distinguish between "socially" employed and other types of employment. Persons entering the above programmes are unemployed at the time of entry and in the case of adults are normally on the live register.

Further details of the various programmes may be obtained from any FÁS office.

In setting the levels of activity for employment and training programmes, regard has been had to the number and needs of the unemployed and to budgetary considerations. I have no plans to expand or introduce new programmes at this stage other than in the area of school-leavers with minimum educational qualifications. In this latter connection, I pointed out in my reply to a Dáil question on 4 February, that an announcement will be made in a matter of weeks on further initiatives in this area.