Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 1 Jun 1999

Vol. 505 No. 6

Written Answers. - Job Initiatives.

Pat Rabbitte

Ceist:

58 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the proposals, if any, she has for the future of the job initiative scheme; the proposals, if any, she has in respect of the continued employment of the first 1,000 participants on the scheme whose third and final years are set to terminate later in 1999; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14246/99]

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

The job initiative is a temporary employment programme for older very long-term unemployed, persons on the live register for five years or more and aged 35 or over. It is full-time and of three years duration. Job Initiative has 2,875 places available, in total, in 1999. These places are concentrated in partnership areas. The programme overall is supervised by FÁS but is managed locally by managing agents who have a community focus. The fundamental objective of the programme is to facilitate participants reintegration into the open labour market.

The first 1,000 job initiative participants are in the third and final year of the programme. Understandably, there is a considerable amount of lobbying on their part to stay on the programme, but from a policy point of view it is an employment programme of limited duration and not intended to provide permanent public sector posts for the individuals in question.

An independent review of the pilot programme has been commissioned and any policy decisions regarding the future of the programme will be deferred until this report is to hand, which should be later this month. On the question of a further extension for the current participants, I have to stress that the fundamental objective of the programme is to facilitate their reintegration into the open labour market. As a general principle it also would not be fair to other very long-term unemployed persons who might avail of this programme. On the positive side, I understand that a number of participants have already left the programme prior to completing three years in order to take up jobs. This is an encouraging sign of the programme's efficacy and of the motivation of participants.

On the basis of experience gained a significant number of participants should be able to get jobs in the open labour market on completion of the programme and FÁS and the local employment service network will provide progression advice and support to all participants in the lead up to completion. The managing agents for the programme also have obligations in this regard. I accept that there may be some participants who face particular problems in taking this final step and can assure the Deputy that we will seek to deal with such issues in a sympathetic way. To this end my Department is discussing the issues arising with the social partners and other interested stakeholders.