Vol. 442 No. 2
4 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he has obtained agreement from the social partners to permit the implementation of the community employment service in areas of the public service which have to date not participated.
27 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he has obtained agreement from the social partners to permit the implementation of the community employment service in areas of the public service which have to date not participated.
75 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he has obtained agreement from the social partners to permit the implementation of the community employment service in areas of the public service which have to date not participated.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 4, 27 and 75 together.
In the Programme for Competitiveness and Work, the social partners committed themselves to full co-operation and flexibility both at national and local levels in the operation of employment programmes, including programmes within all parts of the public sector, so as to ensure the successful operation of employment initiatives.
I am, therefore, confident that community employment will operate in those areas of the public service, notably the local authorities, where blockages on the operation of the social employment scheme has existed in the past.
Is the Minister's confidence based on an actual discussion with the unions and the prospective employers and, if so, will he indicate whether he has secured that agreement? Is he aware of considerable concern that the community employment project is not the best model by which to proceed to tackle the needs of the long term unemployed and that alternatives are being canvassed much closer to the model promoted by the CMRS and others? Would he agree that there must be flexibility in the use of this scheme so that he could adapt if better models are more appropriate?
I am confident, based on conversations I have had with management and trade union representatives, that some of the local authorities— including the local authority of which the Deputy is a member — if properly approached by both sides, particularly management, will be able to participate in this programme. I envisaged that Dublin Corporation could have as many as 600 people employed doing very useful work that is not being done at present. That is a matter for management and unions. Underpinning that confidence, we have a clear commitment in the Programme for Competitiveness and Work from the unions at national level. I urge the elected members of Dublin Corporation to ensure that that opportunity is available as quickly as possible.
In regard to the Deputy's second question as to whether there are better models, we are negotiating with the CMRS, as announced at the launch of the Community employment programme and during the course of the Budget Statement by the Minister for Finance, concerning a pilot project within the overall framework of the budget allocation for the community employment programme. That is not the end of alternative models. We are open to and are exploring other suggestions not only in this context but in the context of the Green Paper which Commissioner Flynn is debating with member states. We have to explore different models to address what is now a major problem within the European Union. We do not claim a monopoly of wisdom in this area nor are we closed to any new ideas that may address, in a productive way, the dreadful problem of long term unemployment.
