Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 November 2004
74 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has extended the employment action plan to all customers on the live register for over six months; if so, the number of persons who have been on the live register for over six months and have availed of the employment action plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28146/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe employment action plan commenced in September 1998 as part of Ireland's response to the European employment strategy. The focus has been on preventing people drifting into long-term unemployment. Under the terms of the plan, people of varying durations on the live register have been referred to FÁS for intervention. This intervention can comprise placement in a job or on a FÁS training or education course.
When the plan commenced in September 1998, those less than 25 years of age were selected for referral as they approached six months on the live register. From March 1999, those less than 25 years of age were also selected as they approached 18 months on the live register. Selection as they approached 12 months on the live register was subsequently extended to those between 25 and 34 years of age from May 1999 and to those between 35 and 55 years of age from February 2000. From July 2000, the threshold for selection was reduced from 12 to nine months for those between 25 and 55 years of age and subsequently to six months from March 2003. From March 2003, a common threshold of six months applies to all those between 18 and 55 years of age.
Following a commitment contained in the programme for Government, a systematic referral of people who have been on the live register for over six months commenced in June 2003. Initially commencing in the Dublin region, this process was extended to all remaining regions by the end of 2003. The purpose of this intensification was to give people who were of longer term duration on the live register and who had not previously been referred to FÁS the opportunity of benefiting from the referral process. In some instances these people can be suffering from severe disadvantage in terms of labour market participation and referral to FÁS on a systematic basis will begin the process of addressing these disadvantages.
Under the terms of the referral process, all people between 18 and 55 years of age who are over six months on the live register and have not previously been selected for inclusion in the employment action plan process are being selected for referral to FÁS. FÁS then commences a guidance process with each individual who attends and a progression plan to address employability barriers is agreed. To date, some 25,600 people have been selected for such referral. At present, there are a further 5,100 people who are on the live register for longer than six months and have yet to be selected for referral to FÁS. At the present selection rate, it is estimated that all people will have been selected by September 2005. At that stage it has been agreed with FÁS that the provisions of the plan will be made available to people over 55 years of age who are on the live register.
This intensification of the provisions of the employment action plan is part of the strategy to help those displaced from labour market activity find employment or further education and training.
