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Youth Unemployment Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 September 2012

Tuesday, 18 September 2012

Ceisteanna (632)

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

632. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Social Protection her policy on addressing youth unemployment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37434/12]

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Freagraí scríofa

Young people, typically, suffer disproportionately from job losses in recessions as they tend to have entered employment more recently, are more likely to hold temporary contracts and to be employed in cyclically sensitive industries than older workers. The Quarterly National Household survey indicated that there were 56,000 young unemployed aged 15-24 in Q1 2012, made up of 15,000 aged 15-19 and 41,000 aged 20-24. Of particular concern is the continued increase in the share of the young unemployed who are out of work for more than one year. They now account for half of all youth unemployment.

In the first instance, the Government's primary strategy to tackle youth unemployment is to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth. Past experience suggests that youth unemployment, which tends to rise relatively rapidly in a downturn, can be expected to fall relatively rapidly during the recovery.

In addition to promoting economic recovery, the Government recognises the need for interim measures to support the young unemployed and keep young jobseekers close to the labour market.

There are five main approaches being taken to tackle youth unemployment: education, training, job search assistance/guidance, work experience, and encouraging job creation. These actions range across a number of Departments and Agencies.

In terms of education, the Youthreach programme provides integrated education, training and work experience for unemployed early school leavers without any qualifications or vocational training who are between 15 and 20 years of age. There are almost 6,000 places available nationwide under the Youthreach umbrella.

The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) scheme, operated through VECs, provides a range of courses to meet the education and training needs of unemployed people over 21 years of age (particularly early school leavers). There were almost 1,000 participants on VTOS who were under 25 years of age in December 2010.

The Back to Education Allowance scheme run by my Department provides income maintenance, along with a contribution to education costs, for unemployed people returning to further or higher education. Over 6,500 young people participated in the in the last academic year.

Over 18,000 persons aged 25 and under completed a training course with FÁS in 2011 (excluding evening courses). Training allowances on eligible courses exceed what a young person would receive in jobseekers' payments, providing an incentive to take up training programmes.

The Labour Market Education and Training Fund (LMETF) is part of the Government's 2012 Action Plan for Jobs initiative. The Department of Education and Skills has committed €20m to fund a range of education and training interventions for up to 6,500 individuals who are long term unemployed. There are four themes to the funding, one of which is dedicated to the cohort of under 25s.

In terms of job search assistance, some 17,000 young people registered with Employment Services this year up until September 2012, representing 37% of all registrants. Registering with Employment Services gives job-seekers access to guidance interviews, job search assistance, and training courses, as well as self-service job-seeking options.

Under the National Employment Action Plan (EAP) persons between the ages of 18 and 65 years who are approaching 3 months on the Live Register are identified by the Department of Social Protection and referred to Employment Services for interview with the aim of assisting them to enter/re-enter the labour market. Last year, there were 35,400 referrals of under 25s to the EAP, affecting approximately 25,000 individual jobseekers (those who do not attend initially are referred again). Of those referred, 62% of clients had signed off the Live Register by the end of the year. For the first eight months of this year, there were 23,700 referrals affecting 18,300 young jobseekers. The EAP process is being changed on a progressive basis across the country to one where referral will take place immediately on becoming unemployed for those identified, through profiling, as being at greatest risk of remaining unemployed for long periods.

There are a number of schemes/programmes available that are focussed on work experience. The most relevant for young people are: JobBridge (the National Internship Scheme), and its predecessor the Work Placement Programme. Over 1,500 young people are currently participating on these schemes. The total number of placements of young people on JobBridge during its first year of operation was 2,600. Young people will also benefit from the reduced rate of employer's PRSI, the purpose of which is to support job creation, as well as from the impact of Revenue Job Assist and the Employers PRSI Incentive Scheme.

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