Vol. 417 No. 1
26 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Labour if he will outline the amount spent on the social employment scheme since it commenced operation; the number of people employed under this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The social employment scheme commenced in 1985. Up to the end of 1991, a total of £315.618 million was expended on the scheme in respect of 75,504 participants.
In order to qualify for participation on the SES, one must be over 25 years of age and in receipt of unemployment assistance or in receipt of unemployment benefit for at least 12 months.
The scheme offers participants work related opportunities for 52 weeks. FÁS do not maintain data on the proportion of participants who are engaged for a second time regardless of the intervening period on the live register.
I am convinced that the scheme offers worthwhile opportunities for a significant number of participants which would assist them in their efforts to find employment in the open labour market.
I estimate that almost 30 per cent of the total budget for FÁS is spent on the social employment scheme, yet not one permanent job comes from this large investment of money. Does the Minister agree that this is wise investment of such a huge sum of money when compared with the sum of £253 million spent by the IDA over a seven year period which resulted in creating 24,000 permanent jobs?
It is important to understand the purpose of the social employment scheme which is a scheme for the long-term unemployed. It is totally Exchequer funded. Many of the other FÁS schemes are ESF funded. While it is important that we sharpen the focus on economic training I do not agree we should decide that the long term unemployed should not be dealt with in an equal fashion. As the Deputy will be aware from her own constituency work this scheme has provided employment and training for people who have been without work for some considerable time. It helps them to reintegrate into the community and to acquire basic skills for a work routine. For example, this year 12,000 people will avail of the scheme. It would be wrong if we were to marginalise long-term unemployed people by diverting resources unduly to those who are already funded from EC supported schemes.
A brief question from Deputy Ahearn.
In view of the Culliton report and, in particular the section dealing with education and training which emphasises the importance of training to encourage prospects for long term employment, would the Minister not agree that perhaps we would be moving more in the right direction if we provided training which would prepare these people for work and try to convince reluctant employers to employ them?
Many of the long-term unemployed are availing of the various FÁS schemes. The number of man hours involved in the schemes in the current year is in excess of 35,000. What we are talking about is an additional scheme, one which is different in character from the FÁS training schemes, and it does serve a purpose. It is my intention, as Minister for Labour, to investigate the efficacy and relevance of the schemes pursued by FÁS, and to continually monitor and look at the social employment scheme in that respect also. The social employment scheme has been a success in terms of helping long term unemployed people to reintegrate and get back into a work routine which would not be possible were that scheme not in existence.
Question No. 27 please.
Deputy T. Ahearn rose.
Sorry, Deputy. I am seeking to dispose of your questions primarily.
It is a very important question.
