Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 22 May 1996

Vol. 465 No. 7

Written Answers. - Unemployed Persons' Age Profile.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

96 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social Welfare the age profile of the total number of unemployed persons; the progress, if any, that has been made to reduce the numbers in the 25 to 34 year old age group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10475/96]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

The age profile of the total number of persons on the live register on 20 October 1995 is set out in the following table:

Age	Males	Females	Total
Under 20 years	11,231	8,103	19,334
20 to 24 years	31,397	21,753	53,150
25 to 34 years	48,353	30,606	78,959
35 to 44 years	40,490	21,564	62,054
45 to 54 years	31,407	12,743	44,150
55 to 59 years	8,595	3,742	12,337
60 to 64 years	3,968	1,582	5,550
Totals	175,441	100,093	275,534

In the period from April 1993 to October 1995, the number of persons on the live register in the 25 to 34 age group fell from 87,550 to 78,959, a 10 per cent reduction. While my Department does not have schemes or programmes directed exclusively at the 25 to 34 year age group, it has taken a proactive and work supportive approach in assisting unemployed people, particularly the long-term unemployed, to reenter the active labour market.

In this year's budget, a number of measures designed to facilitate the transition from unemployment to employment were announced. These included: improvements in the family income supplement; a revision of the manner in which earnings from employment will be assessed for unemployment assistance purposes; a substantial increase in the number of places on the back to work allowance scheme from 10,000 to 15,000; the retention of child dependant allowances for the first 13 weeks of employment by the long-term, unemployed; an increase of £30 in the PRSI-free allowance for full rate PRSI contributors from £50 to £80 per week; and significant reductions in the rates of employer's PRSI.