Vol. 472 No. 4
134 Mrs. O'Rourke asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he will give details of a claim made in a speech in County Clare on 12 November 1996, by the Minister of State at his Department, that there were 25,000 fewer long-term unemployed in 1995; and if the Government plans to sign the European Full Employment Appeal. [23541/96]
The source of Minister Fitzgerald's comments are the results of the Labour Force Surveys (ILO basis) of 1994 and 1995. These surveys show that the number of persons more than one year unemployed, which is the general definition of long-term unemployment, fell from 127,400 in 1994 to 102,100 in 1995. The Government has not to date been approached regarding the European Full Employment appeal and as such the question of signing such an appeal has not formally been considered by Government. However, full employment is a goal of the Government and my Department is actively pursuing policies in this regard.
