Vol. 400 No. 6
16 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Labour, in respect of the most recent five year period for which figures are available, if he will outline the rate of female participation in economic activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
During the period 1984-1988, the most recent five year period for which figures are available, the participation rate of women in economic activity increased from 30.9 per cent in 1984 to 31.1 per cent in 1988. From and including 1984 the figures were 30.9 per cent, 30.5 per cent, 30.9 per cent, 31.9 per cent and 31.1 per cent.
The approximate stability in the aggregate participation rate conceals major shifts in the composition of female participation. The most significant feature has been the participation rate of married women, which increased from 19.5 per cent in 1984 to 23.6 per cent in 1988. Other points to note were: the growth of women's participation in part-time work and a sharp decline in activity rates among women, and men, aged 15-19. This reflects a rise in participation rates in education.
These changes in the labour market provide the context for several initiatives which I have taken recently, including the Presidency seminar to assess the impact of the Internal Market on women's employment, the FÁS positive action plan to address issues of sex-segregation in the labour market, the review of the employment equality legislation, the preparation of legislation on employment protection of part-time workers, and the study of the measures that can be adopted to enable women to accommodate child care and career opportunities.
While I am aware that much of this ground will be covered in further questions, would the Minister agree that there should be a direct resource investment in new agencies or programmes initiated for the reintegration of women into the workforce? I understood the Minister to say that the relevant figure had risen from 30.9 per cent to 31.1 per cent over a five-year period, representing a very small percentage. Bearing in mind that Ireland has the lowest participation of married women in the workforce, would he agree that direct, positive action is needed for the retraining and reintegration of married women into the workforce while bearing in mind those who still so willingly forego so much career opportunity and economic independence in order to work in the home?
We are now covering ground already covered. I can say that the return to work courses have shown that there is great demand for them, that women who wish to return to work are very anxious to participate in that programme. Most women who participate in that course are aged 35 or over; I am now talking about applicants, not necessarily successful participants. That would tend to suggest that perhaps we could extend that programme which has proved to be so successful both from the point of view of FÁS and its participants. People who have participated in that course have had nothing but the highest of praise for it. As I said earlier, we have endeavoured to raise the number of places available to 1,000. I will ascertain whether there is anything further we can do to expand its provisions.
Would the Minister not agree that the figures in relation to married women do no more than indicate the obligation placed on them — in the context of current unemployment rates, especially in certain socio-economic groupings — to go out to work in order to maintain some kind of income into the household?
That may be partly the case. As the Deputy will know from some statistics produced, it would be eminently desirable that we balance it in such a way that would suit the socio-economic groups, which is not always what happens or is possible. For example, the analysis undertaken of women returning to the workforce would not always find that those who pick up jobs are necessarily those most in need of them. I am not going to get into that argument; I thought we had concluded that 20 years ago. I am primarily concerned with endeavouring to provide courses for people who want to participate in them regardless of whichever group they may represent.
I take the Minister's point. It is, or should be, the right of every woman — and every support resource possible should be made available — to have the same freedom as men to choose her career inside or outside the home. Has the Minister or FÁS taken into consideration many of the programmes of retraining that would help women, such as the future office business studies programmes on computerisation and VDU training and processing which are at present closed to a great many of the women we want reintroduced into the workforce because they are not registered and because one has to be unemployed to be available for such courses, which constitutes a huge obstacle in their way?
We have. The return to work programme is successful in that regard but some of the others are not, such as, for example, the clerical procedures courses. It presents a financial argument also because there is no saving to the Exchequer on the Social Welfare Vote and no grant aid forthcoming from the European Social Fund for that purpose. Therefore, the costs in respect of people not on the register are much more substantial than those particpating in other programmes. As I said earlier, I will re-examine the return to work course, ascertaining what we can do to augment places available on it, and what restrictions we can remove which obtain at present.
That disposes of Questions for today.
