Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 25 Feb 1999

Vol. 501 No. 2

Written Answers. - Employment Support Services.

David Stanton

Ceist:

151 Mr. Stanton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the incentives, if any, her Department offers or intends to offer to women who formerly worked in the home to enter the workforce; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5734/99]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney)

A working group representative of the social partners is currently considering the issue of access by women to labour market opportunities and is likely later this year to make recommendations on enhanced access. The group is chaired by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs. It is important that women returners are facilitated to return to paid work on the basis of equity and because they constitute an important source of labour supply.

About one-third of the growth of 95,000 in the numbers at work in 1998, according to the Quarterly National Household Survey, published by the CSO on 30 November 1998 is composed of higher labour force participation rates. The majority of persons in this category are women returning to paid work. Women who have worked in the home are accessing jobs in substantial numbers and the work-friendly nature of the last budget will assist this process. Many women returners avail of the services of FÁS, either for employment placement or for training. FÁS provides return to work training for those wishing to return to work after an extended absence from the labour market. The return to work programme helps participants to develop the confidence necessary to re-enter the labour force and is also an important bridging programme for progression onto other FÁS programmes. The programme is delivered on a part-time basis within local communities. In 1998, 1,065 women completed return to work training.

In 1996 and 1997 FÁS operated a pilot programme called Local Action for Women. The aim of the pilot was to develop and test new methods of providing training and employment services to women at local level, through active co-operation with locally-based community groups. The pilot was evaluated in 1998. In 1999, FÁS proposes to implement new approaches to providing return to work training for women which will incorporate the outcomes of the pilot. Rather than pursuing a return to work course many women returners move directly into skills training programmes and enterprise training, and from there directly into employment or self-employment.