Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I commend the Minister for Social Protection on introducing a raft of new measures and schemes to encourage young people and those of all ages to go back to work. Gateway is a scheme which aims to bridge the gap between unemployment and re-entering the workforce. I grew up in an area where the community employment scheme was part of what was happening in the community. People who went on CE schemes were able to move into long-term employment within two or three years and still retain their employment today.

Participants in the Gateway scheme will work for 19.5 hours a week and will earn €208 a week. Participants will also retain their secondary benefits, medical cards and their entitlements to those benefits. The scheme aims to improve the employability of those people who have been long-term unemployed. I welcome the €2 million which has been allocated to support the training and equipment needs for those people who participate in the Gateway programme.

This new scheme has attracted some negative publicity since its announcement but it does not pretend to solve the unemployment problem overnight or to provide permanent full-time jobs. It is what it says on the tin, a gateway to employment, which will give people the incentive to go out to work, to gain new experience and hopefully to be able to build on their experiences and move into full-time employment.

The scheme will help those who are long-term employed to build self-confidence, re-acclimatise themselves to the workplace environment, use their initiative and work as part of a team. The scheme will benefit those individuals and the local authorities, most of which are struggling to fulfil their functions adequately because of lack of funding, retirements and the embargo on recruitment. It will provide work opportunities for those who are otherwise unable to secure employment while ensuring the existing roles and jobs are not affected and duplication is avoided. The work of Gateway participants is designed to complement the local authorities' core activities. The scheme will cater for more than 3,000 participants nationally with an allocation of 295 in my local authority of Dublin City Council. The type of work participation will include landscaping, control of animals, tourism ambassadors and village enhancement schemes. Such work is essential in the creation of civic pride in the local community.

There was criticism of the JobBridge scheme but 60% of participants secured full employment. We should not knock schemes before giving them a chance. I agree with the previous speaker about the Garda vetting arrangements. I ask the Minister to ensure the Garda vetting arrangements are processed quickly to avoid a delay for participants who are anxious to join the scheme.

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