Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 17 Jun 1998

Vol. 492 No. 5

Written Answers. - Jobs Facilitators.

Michael Ferris

Ceist:

54 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of jobs facilitators operating in his Department countrywide; the studies, if any, he has undertaken to show the cost effectiveness of appointing more jobs facilitators in terms of savings to his Department with regard to unemployment payments; if he has increased the number of job facilitators since taking office; if he has satisfied himself that the number of jobs facilitators is adequate for the work involved; the plans, if any, he has to put in place extra staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14452/98]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

My Department currently has 30 jobs facilitators operating throughout the country. Their function is to support unemployed people in seeking job opportunities or opportunities for self-employment and direct them towards the wide range of initiatives and options provided by various Departments and other State agencies. They are also actively involved with voluntary and community groups working with unemployed people and with local partnership companies in this regard.

Jobs facilitators are responsible in particular for the promotion of my Department's back to work allowance scheme and since 1993 they have been successful in encouraging over 36,000 unemployed people to take up employment or self-employment opportunities with the support of the allowance.

Job facilitators form a very effective component of my Department's overall service for unemployed people. I see the further development of a proactive approach by all those involved in this service to serving the needs of unemployed people as essential to the development of the social welfare system in the future. I also believe in this regard that my Department's services cannot be viewed in isolation and that, through better working arrangements and co-operation with other State agencies and local and other groups working in this area a better service and a more efficient use of staff and other resources can be achieved. I have given a high priority to this since taking office.

There have been a number of reports which have highlighted the importance of appropriate supports for unemployed people wishing to get back to the active labour force and for those who have already done so and which have affirmed important role of jobs facilitators in that regard. I will be keeping the overall staff numbers and their deployment under review to ensure that an effective service continues to be given and available resources are used in the most effective way possible.