Dr. Ciara Fitzpatrick:

Dr. Boland has covered all the points in respect of the spirit of this matter. Participation in programmes geared towards work should not be undertaken under threat of sanction or the withdrawal of benefits that allow people to survive. What we see happening in the UK, for example, and there is research to support this, is that people then withdraw from the system altogether. They do not seek state support in any form because of a risk or fear of punishment. All this approach does is to drive people further into deeper poverty or, indeed, destitution. One of the main problems the UK economy is trying to grapple with is the sharp increase after the Covid-19 pandemic of economic inactivity. This is across the board. Rather than looking at a human capital approach to employment and how we can get people into education and training and then into sustainable employment, the British Government is seeking to use the stick in all quarters. We now that many people who work part-time do so for a variety of reasons. Much of the time it is because of caring responsibilities. Those people working 12 hours a week or under are now going to face more interventions from job centres to get more hours or better paid work. If they do not fulfil those obligations, they could face sanction. We see this ideology of conditionality not only impacting those people who do not have work in the UK but also those who are in work. I feel this is a frightening road we are currently going down in that respect.

There is a great deal of opportunity to work together across all our further education institutions to support more people. Members may be aware that the European Social Fund, ESF, ended in Northern Ireland and the equivalent funding provided by the British Government was not the same. Many community and voluntary sector organisations, such as women's centres, have been affected. These include the Women's Centre Derry, for example, which lost its funding and had to make staff redundant. It is no longer able to offer employment services. Increasingly, we have to look at how educational institutions and other organisations, particularly those close to the Border, can work collaboratively in ensuring we can develop the human capital of individuals and support them in moving into sustainable education and employment.