Vol. 417 No. 1
52 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Labour his views on whether a specific training content should be introduced into all social employment schemes so as to improve the future job prospects of scheme workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The social employment scheme is, as is clear from its title, an employment programme and not a training programme. There are training programmes available through FÁS for long term unemployed persons interested in participating in a training course.
53 Mr. Doyle asked the Minister for Labour the steps, if any, which have been taken by him to remove the blockage imposed by the relevant union on the greater use by Dublin Corporation and Dublin County Council of the social employment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Officials of my Department have attended discussions between the Department of the Environment and the trade unions concerned to try and resolve the problem of the blockage on the use of the social employment scheme in Dublin Corporation. The scheme is operational in Dublin County Council. The matter was subsequently discussed by the Central Review Committee of the Programme for National Recovery, without resolution.
Since then, the position has not changed. My predecessor advised the House last December in relation to a blockage on the use of the SES by Cork Corporation that he did not consider that a direct intervention by him would be useful because of the nature of the problems involved. I agree with this approach and hope at an early date to raise the general issue of local authority involvement in the scheme with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in view of the difficulties being encountered by a number of local authorities in arranging projects under the scheme.
