Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 10 May 2000

Vol. 518 No. 6

Written Answers. - FÁS Training Programmes.

Seán Haughey

Ceist:

128 Mr. Haughey asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will make a statement on the Social Economy Programme of FÁS; and the aims of this programme in regard to the promotion of the community and voluntary sector, the promotion of local economic developments and the elimination of long-term unemployment. [12763/00]

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

On foot of the Government decision in July 1999 to introduce a dedicated social economy programme, a national monitoring committee representative of relevant Departments and the social partners was established. At its meeting on 28 February 2000, the committee finalised the Framework for the Establishment of the Social Economy.

The social economy programme aims to maximise the role of social economy enterprises in the regeneration of local economies within local dis advantaged areas, communities and communities of interest experiencing disadvantage. The programme will be particularly targeted at disadvantaged communities and long-term unemployed persons.

The objectives of the social economy programme are to promote the emergence and consolidation of the social economy; to maximise the potential of the social economy to generate employment that is sustainable and of high quality, subject to labour market constraints; to regenerate both urban and rural communities by providing urgently needed local services, employment opportunities and experience for people who have been distanced from the labour market; and to promote equal opportunities between men and women. Three categories of project will be funded under the social economy programme: community businesses, which are ultimately expected to be financed from trading income alone; deficient-demand social enterprises, where the demand for particular goods and services within a community is not matched by resources to pay for these due to disadvantage or low density of population; and enterprises based on public service contracts, where public services in disadvantaged areas and communities are subcontracted to local social economy enterprises.

The next step is the establishment by FÁS of local working groups to ensure the principle of partnership between statutory bodies, the social partners and local community-voluntary interests. The local working groups will oversee the operation of the social economy programme at local level, including identifying and prioritising areas of social economy activity. Working groups will advise and make recommendations to FÁS on specific funding applications under the social economy programme.

Community and voluntary groups will be able to apply for funding to establish local social economy enterprises under the programme. Applications will be submitted to the local FÁS Office and will be vetted by the local working group in each area.