Tim O'Malley (Limerick East, Progressive Democrats)

I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for her contribution. When reviewing the opportunities and resources offered to communities it is important to emphasise that a wide range of active labour market, training and education programmes operate across a number of Departments, aimed at improving the prospects of unemployed and inactive persons progressing to jobs in the open labour market. In addition to employment programmes there are employment subsidies such as the back to work allowance and back to work enterprise allowance, and the educational opportunities provided by the back to education allowance and the vocational training opportunities scheme. The programmes operated by FÁS under the aegis of this Department are job initiative, community employment and the social economy programme, which between them currently account for approximately 25,000 places.

Job initiative is an active labour market programme aimed at those over 35 years of age who have been unemployed for the previous five years, with the primary objective of progressing these participants into the open labour market. It is specifically targeted at equipping the long-term unemployed, through identified worthwhile work and training, with the skill that will allow them to enter the labour force. Work experience is provided on a full-time basis for up to three years for participants, with flexibility for a one-year extension in specific cases where it can be shown to have a progression benefit. The allocation of places to individual projects and within regions is an administrative matter for FÁS that estimates there will be approximately 2000 participants on job initiative at year-end. There were 316 places available in the Limerick region at the beginning of the year and the projected figure for the end of the year is 284. However, when community employment places are taken into account there will be an additional 14 places provided in this region by year-end. Job initiative is a labour market programme and, as such, the concept of progression by participants is central to it. Participants must abide by the terms of their contracts and move from the programme after an agreed period of support and development. This is necessary so that vacancies will become available on a rolling basis and in order that other long-term unemployed and disadvantaged groups may have the opportunity to participate in the programme. Approximately 80% of participants on the job initiative programme in Limerick have been on the programme for four years or longer and a number have remained on the programme since it commenced in 1997.

It is important to recognise that full employment is the most effective route out of poverty, disadvantage and dependency on State welfare and must remain the primary objective for participants in active labour market programmes such as job initiative. A willingness to engage in progression, whether directly into the jobs market or if appropriate into further education or training opportunities, has always been an essential part of the scheme.

The proper functioning of this process would be of benefit to both the local communities within which the job initiative project is based and the country as a whole. Over the past 18 months FÁS has supported managing agents in their efforts to progress all persons who have been participating on job initiative projects for more than three years. This would apply to the participants in Limerick. These persons are being offered the high support process, customised training, main-line training and job seeking support. The high supports process is designed to provide a flexible response for persons experiencing barriers in progressing from unemployment to employment in the open labour market, and is based on the individual needs of clients with the support of a fund of up to a maximum of €2,200 per person. Where vacancies are created these are being filled on an ongoing basis by either job initiative or community employment participants. Over the past year, FÁS has endeavoured to support local communities in Limerick in the services they wish to deliver while keeping the focus of the schemes on securing jobs for participants in the open labour market.

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