Desmond J. O'Malley
Ceist:23 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of people who have left the live register and gone on back to work allowance and other related schemes. [8260/95]
Written Answers. - Live Register Statistics.
My Department has taken a pro-active and work supportive approach to assist the long term unemployed to re-enter the active labour force. A number of measures have also been introduced to encourage the creation of new job opportunities for the unemployed and to assist employers in hard-pressed labour intensive sectors.
Back to Work Allowance
The back to work allowance was introduced in October 1993 as a pilot scheme designed to encourage the creation of new job opportunities for the long-term unemployed and lone parents.
Under the scheme the unemployed and lone parents can retain up to three quarters of their weekly entitlement and a range of their secondary benefits for three years. This helps to provide a financial cushion during the early years of employment or self-employment.
Even though the scheme has only been in operation for just over 18 months, some 9,373 jobs have been identified. Over 6,500 people have qualified for the allowance at an average payment, in the first year, of almost £70 per week.
I am very pleased with the success of this scheme and in that connection a further increase of up to 10,000 places was provided for in the 1995 budget. We are currently preparing an evaluation of the scheme.
It has undoubtedly encouraged the creation of new job opportunities particularly in the indigenous industries identified in the Culliton report as having potential for expansion.
More importantly it has given a major incentive to the long term unemployed to engage in self-employment as is evident from the fact that almost two-thirds of existing back to work allowances are being paid to those who took up self-employment as a result of the scheme.
Area Allowances (Enterprise)
While overall responsibility for area allowances rests with the Department of the Taoiseach and the 12 area partnerships set up under theProgramme for Economic and Social Progress, payments under this scheme are made by my Department through social welfare local offices.
The area allowance is a special allowance, which was introduced in October 1992, which is payable to certain long term unemployed people and lone parents residing in designated partnership areas who set up an enterprise. At present there are approximately 1,000 participants who retain 100 per cent of their social welfare payments for 12 months along with secondary benefits.
Part-time Job Allowance
This scheme allows the long term unemployed to take up part-time employment and receive a special income supplement. The rates were £38.90 for a single person and £64 for a married person with an adult dependant. It encourages unemployed people to make the transition to full-time employment and there are currently appoximately 530 participants.
Employers' PRSI Exemption Scheme
This scheme is an incentive to employers to provide additional full-time job opportunities for unemployed people and this year's budget extended the scheme to young people under 23 years who are taking up their first employment.
Under the current scheme, which commenced on 6 April 1995 exemptions have been granted in respect of 78 employees to date.
Under previous schemes a total of 9,117 new jobs were approved.
Community Employment
The community employment programme is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Enterprise and Employment. Accurate statistics are not available in my Department on the numbers who move from the live register to this programme.