Vol. 460 No. 5
1 Mrs. O'Rourke asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he will consider the establishment of a parallel register to the quarterly labour force surveys which will allow those not currently entitled to sign on the live register access to training and labour market opportunities. [1595/96]
In so far as training programmes are concerned, it is not necessary to be signing on the live register in order to participate on these programmes, although priority is given to those on the live register. A broad range of training programmes is directed specifically at categories not on the live register such as early school leavers, persons wishing to return to work after a prolonged absence, persons in employment being assisted through FÁS training programmes, and so on.
The principal labour market opportunity available through my Department is community employment. That programme is geared primarily towards those long-term unemployed who are in receipt of unemployment compensation payments. However, it may also be availed of by certain categories not on the live register such as persons in receipt of lone parent's allowance or other special categories such as those registered with the National Rehabilitation Board.
I am not clear as to why the Deputy is advocating the setting up of a parallel register in respect of persons who are not entitled to sign on the live register. As the Deputy will be aware, such persons are welcome to register with FÁS for training and employment opportunities. FÁS will then provide them with detailed advice on its own programmes for which they may qualify and will also put forward the names of those who are suitably qualified to prospective employers using the FÁS employment placement service.
The Deputy will be aware that giving priority to persons on the live register ensures that those most likely to be in need of the various programmes are given priority attention. I do not envisage that it will be possible, because of budgetary constraints, fundamentally to alter this arrangement in the foreseeable future.
In these circumstances I do not think that the creation of a new register along the lines suggested by the Deputy would be warranted.
I thank the Taoiseach's Office for contacting me this morning. My question was changed and I was perplexed when I saw it. However, I received a telephone call to explain the reason. I do not agree with it but at least I was contacted about it.
The Minister is aware of the debate about whether the labour force survey or the unemployment register is the correct one. The Government is weighted heavily in favour of the labour force survey as the numbers are less. We believe the live register reflects a truer picture of the unemployed than does the labour force survey.
Many people, mostly women, wish to enter the labour market but are aware that there are no opportunities for them and that their cases will not be fully considered. The Minister said that he did not understand why I advocated setting up a parallel register. My suggestion was contained in the INOU proposals. Everyone who wished to be considered for employment would be on the register.
The Deputy must ask a question.
That would give the true figure rather than having a dispute about the matter. Will the Minister have a parallel register that will mirror the true number of people seeking employment?
The FÁS register is open to those who wish to find employment. Many of those who wish to return to work, notably women, avail of FÁS services.
I am not talking about the FÁS register but the live register.
The live register is compiled by the Department of Social Welfare and is composed of people eligible to claim social welfare. Some of those on it are part-time workers. It does not offer a service to those seeking work. FÁS delivers services to those interested in training and employment opportunities. Lone parents are eligible for CE. There are many services people can avail of whether or not they are on the live register.
The Minister knows what I am talking about and is being disingenuous. He made the same point when he was in Opposition. Many women are not entitled to claim social welfare but wish to be considered for jobs. The number of openings available to them through FÁS is limited. I ask the Minister, in the interest of equality and giving a true picture, to consider setting up a parallel register with the Minister for Equality and Law Reform.
I will not consider setting up such a register but will offer the support of the various services in my Department to anyone who wishes to return to the workforce.
