Denis Naughten
Ceist:33 Mr. Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the plans she has to reform back to work schemes in view of the recent ESRI report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2012/01]
Priority Questions. - Employment Support Services.
Austin Deasy
Ceist:103 Mr. Deasy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will extend the terms of FÁS schemes to benefit people who have found the schemes to be beneficial and who have performed their work in a satisfactory manner. [3043/01]
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 33 and 103 together.
The recent ESRI report "Investing in People" examined the labour market impact of human resource interventions funded under the Human Resources Operational Programme, 1994-99. That analysis included 14 temporary employment and training programmes. Five of the 14 programmes were found to have significantly increased the employment chances of their participants, while seven programmes were considered not to have displayed positive impacts.
The report suggests that participation in labour market activation programmes such as community employment, which is the largest of these programmes, is unlikely in itself to significantly improve the job prospects of participants, particularly men, unless it is followed by progression to effective schemes which improve employment prospects.
The Programme for Prosperity and Fairness provides for an overall appraisal of active labour market programmes, commonly referred to as ALMPs. In this regard, the findings in this report and in other reviews already carried out into ALMPs will be taken into consideration as part of this overall appraisal process. The ALMPs review will be undertaken later this year under the auspices of the PPF standing committee on the labour market, which includes representatives from the social partners, FÁS and Departments.
I have no plans in the short-term to further amend the criteria pertaining to participation on either the CE scheme or the jobs initiative programme.
The general terms and conditions relating to participation on CE have been reviewed and adjusted in the light of both the Government's decision in 1999 to restructure this programme, and the recommendations contained in the subsequent Partnership 2000 report on facilitating women's access to labour market opportunities. The jobs initiative programme was also restructured during 2000, following the consultancy review of the programme.
I thank the Tánaiste for her response. In light of the criticism of the CE scheme and the other schemes, is she prepared to review the mechanisms involved in the CE scheme to introduce an element of education and specific training? Would she agree that at present the CE scheme is by far the most attractive scheme to get the long-term unemployed back into some sort of training structure and that she should tie an education element into it? Would she also agree that many of the long-term unemployed are not availing of any education, training or employment support services, as has been highlighted in a recent survey in County Westmeath?
There are a number of different programmes. One of the things we are trying to do, which is something the employment action plan is all about, is offer unemployed persons, particularly those who are unemployed for a considerable length of time in excess of a year, training or other opportunities and the prospect of returning to education. As everybody in the House will be aware, the jobs being created in the economy require a minimum level of skill. In many cases a reasonably high skill level is necessary in order to access even some of the most basic jobs.
Community employment served a useful purpose when there were high levels of unemployment in the economy. Today it serves more the needs of voluntary and community activity than of labour. That is why it is important, as we restructure CE, that we put alternatives in place. I said in this House on a previous occasion regarding the CE participants who are involved in education, for example, working as secretaries, teaching assistants, caretakers, etc., that it is important that that be mainstreamed and taken over by the Department of Education and Science, and discussions are fairly advanced in that regard.
Is there any sign of that happening?
It is happening.
On Priority Questions, only the Deputy who tabled the question may ask a supplementary.
The process is under way. It clearly will have implications for resources. I also intend to mainstream the system. My ambition, and that of any of the groups which have looked at this area, is to ensure that we provide enough training places. The establishment of the national training fund, the legislation for which was recently passed in this House, will enormously benefit increased participation in training, which leads to a natural job in the labour market and which equips people with the skills for the jobs which are being created.
When will we see the transfer of secretarial and caretaking services from her Department to the Department of Education and Science because many schools throughout the country are deprived of these resources at present? Will she ensure that this transfer takes place in the immediate future?
I am glad the Tánaiste raised the issue of education, which is fundamentally important. Will she give a commitment that changes will take place in the VTOS training programmes? The capitation allowance of £15,000 has not been increased in the past 12 years. Will the Tánaiste agree that if we are to bring the long-term unemployed into the work force, they must learn basic skills and IT skills, and that these resources should be put into these types of schemes?
Considerable resources – more than ever before – are being put into training and education, notwithstanding the fact that unemployment has fallen to 3.6%—
Twelve years.
—and long-term unemployment has fallen to 1.5%. We still should not be complacent. We can do better. In addition to equipping unemployed people with the skills for the jobs being created, we must work with the employed to make sure they have the level of skill to move up the value chain or to be able to find alternative employment in the unfortunate event of losing their jobs in traditional industries.
The Department of Education and Science will soon take over responsibility for the area I mentioned. It, and the other issue the Deputy raised, will be a matter for that Department. They are not matters for the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. What we want to see is a situation where—
We must move on to Question No. 34.