Brendan Ryan (Dublin North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The improvement in the unemployment figures over the past number of years is to be welcomed. However, a worrying aspect during that period is the speed with which the long-term unemployed are finding work or getting back to employment. The delegates spoke of an increased engagement with this cohort of people and with employers in order to get those people back into the workforce. Will the delegates elaborate on this process? How is it going and what is its level of success? What are the difficulties with it? What is the level of awareness by employers of the very good incentives available to take on people from this cohort?