Written Answers. - Action on Unemployment.
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:
100
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Labour
if, in view of the fact that Dublin now has a major structural unemployment problem, he will establish, in conjunction with other Government Departments, a Special Task Force to bring forward immediate proposals to deal with this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Government action to deal with unemployment in Dublin involves several Ministers. This reply includes material supplied by the relevant Departments.
The Government, in the agreed Programme for Government, 1989-1993, acknowledged the need for special measures to tackle the problem of unemployment in urban disadvantaged areas and set out their detailed plans for action to alleviate the problem.
In that connection, the Deputy will be aware that the employment creation package which I announced on 27 September 1989 provided specifically for a number of special measures to be undertaken to relieve unemployment. These measures involved an expansion of the social employment scheme through recruitment of an extra 1,000 people from urban disadvantaged areas; a stronger lead role for FÁS in initiating and organising community-based projects in such areas; and provision of £500,000 to assist towards the cost of materials for community youth training programme projects in targeted areas. As intimated in my reply to a similar question on 23 May, 1990; considerable progress has been made in implementing these initiatives. In addition, it is now intended to expand SES numbers by an additional 5,000 to 15,000 by end-1990.
These measures are largely based on recommendations drawn up by the Ministerial Committee on Employment which is chaired by me and which includes my colleagues, the Ministers for Education, the Environment, Social Welfare, Industry and Commerce and a representative of the Minister for Finance. The committee is exploring other possibilities for reducing the overall level of unemployment which would also benefit inner city areas, which are most affected in this respect. Given the large numbers of long term unemployed in Dublin city, the committee is particularly anxious to see more SES projects getting under way in that area as soon as possible.
CERT, the State training agency for the hotel, catering and tourist industry, are also contributing to the process of inner city renewal in Dublin by locating their new national training centre and headquarters in Amiens Street. Dublin-based training programmes for the hotel industry staff and for the unemployed will be centralised in the new premises which will offer purpose built training facilities. The new centre is expected to be completed by 1991 and will be funded by the Exchequer, the ERDF and by the proceeds from the sale of CERT's former premises in Clonskeagh.
The sub-group on job creation of the Central Review Committee on theProgramme for National Recovery has also considered the problems faced by areas of acute unemployment and has prepared a number of recommendations for dealing with the situation. These include examining the possibilities for extending the urban renewal scheme, establishing a Dublin Inner City Renewal Authority and reviewing the contribution which housing co-operatives could make to job creation and to balance revitalisation in areas of acute unemployment. The Deputy will be aware of the recent announcement by the Minister for the Environment extending the scope of the urban renewal scheme to additional areas of Dublin inner city.
The IDA are also actively engaged in efforts to revitalise urban disadvantaged areas and to provide new employment opportunities for persons residing in such areas. In Dublin alone, the IDA has spent over £20 million in providing modern and well designed new factory space around the inner city. The IDA Enterprise Centre in Pearse Street have provided a 1990's work environment for over 560 people, while a similar style East Wall Road Enterprise Centre constructed in recent years now houses 28 companies employing 320 people.
The IDA are also spearheading the development of the International Financial Services Centre on the Custom House site which it is now estimated will create at least 2,000 new jobs in the 100 companies so far approved to set up there.
In view of the wide range of Government initiatives currently in operation as detailed above, which are aimed at tackling the problem of unemployment in Dublin and in urban disadvantaged areas, I feel it would be unwise, at this stage, to narrow the focus of such activities by establishing a special task force to address the problems of Dublin alone. The problem extends well beyond the confines of Dublin and needs to be, and is being, effectively tackled on a national basis, as provided for in the Programme for Government.
