Liz McManus
Ceist:78 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will be encouraging bartering networks in areas of high unemployment similar to the one operating in Britain at present (details supplied).
Written Answers. - Bartering Networks.
Bartering networks in the United Kingdom are organised by groups of individuals who come together to pool their skills, services, products and facilities. Such networks operate on a co-operative basis whereby members offer their services or facilities which they have and can avail of services or facilities provided by other members of the group. Transactions within the scheme are non-commercial in nature and do not involve the exchange of cash. The schemes are organised privately by the groups concerned and there is no involvement by Government agencies in their operation.
I am concerned that the unemployment payments schemes are as flexible as possible in helping unemployed people to improve their situation and their prospects of returning to the workforce. In this connection I have over the years introduced a large degree of flexibility into the system to enable unemployed people to engage in a range of activities, such as second-chance education, voluntary work within their communities or part-time employment, without affecting their entitlements. I would be prepared to look at any proposals for bartering networks in this context.