Batt O'Keeffe
Ceist:42 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Taoiseach the measures, if any, which have been put in place to assess the area-based response to long term unemployment. [7623/95]
Written Answers. - Response To Long-Term Unemployment.
I take it that the Deputy is referring to the Operational Programme for Local Urban and Rural Development 1994-1999, Sub-Programme 2 of which relates to Integrated Development of Designated Disadvantaged and Other Areas. This sub-programme builds to a large extent on the experience of the area based response to long-term unemployment.
The Operational Programme for Local Urban and Rural Development covers the period 1994-1999 and is under the direction of a monitoring committee chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach and comprising representatives of Government Departments, the European Commission, Social Partners, the intermediary company ADM Ltd., sectoral, voluntary and community bodies. The committee is required to meet at least twice a year and will receive progress reports in relation to each sub-programme. The duties of the monitoring committee are set out at paragraph 12.7 of the Operational programme, copies of which have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.
The operational programme requires the appointment of an external evaluator to assist the monitoring committee in regard to the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the programme. There will be a comprehensive midterm review of the programme in 1997 and a complete review at the end of the programme. It is expected that arrangements will be made to appoint the external evaluator in the near future.
The Area Based Response to Long-Term Unemployment was a pilot initiative introduced under theProgramme for Economic and Social Progress. The Central Review Committee commissioned the Combat Poverty Agency to oversee the review of the pilot initiative. The CRC received an interim report in March 1993 and the Final Evaluation Progress Through Partnership in 1994.