Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for his reply. I have a number of supplementary questions. I accept we have made many improvements in this area. There have been many changes and strategies in recent years but there are some areas where I would like to see further changes and where I encourage the Minister to work more with his colleagues in the Departments of Health and Children and Social and Family Affairs, to improve matters.

Let us face the fact that there are a number of people on the live register who could come off it and who could be engaged in training or work. We must try to tackle and focus on them, one way or the other. Community employment schemes are an excellent idea. They benefit the community, the groups for which participants work, as well as the participants themselves, whose self-confidence and self-belief is improved immeasurably. However, the three to six year cut-off point is ridiculous. Initially people participate in the scheme for three years, but with some pushing and shoving, that can be increased to six years. There is a certain category of people who, when they leave community employment schemes, have no real plans and no real hope of picking up another job. They are falling between two stools. There is a certain group of people who will not be lucky enough to get another job. I ask the Minister to consider extensions to the schemes for age groups or categories of people. That must be examined, even if it is not politically correct to mention it. All Deputies have all met people of a certain category who get stuck when their community employment scheme ends. They end up back on the live register or on a social welfare allowance for the rest of their days. That must be tackled.

We must also examine the issue of people turning down jobs because they are afraid they will lose their entitlements and be worse off. Such people exist. People of all abilities are turning down jobs because, although some social welfare payments are gradually reduced, that is not the case with medical cards, other health benefits and rent allowance. In that context, it is very often not worth people's while to take up a job. That must be changed. We must do all we can to ensure that people can accept jobs. This is not the sole responsibility of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. He must work with his colleagues on that area.

There is a category of people who are receiving the job-seekers allowance who have no intention of ever working. We all know such people exist. It is not good enough and it is not fair that a certain percentage of people who are physically able to work do not want to work. We must increase our efforts to get those people into training or work so they can give something back to their communities. Their contribution would be gratefully received by many community groups and in many areas like estate or town maintenance. It is wrong that people who are well able to work are getting through the system and spending most of their time at home, rather than working. It is not good enough. I am not referring to people who cannot work, but to people who will not work. A percentage of people are well able to work and should be out there, contributing to society, which would benefit the taxpayer and the individuals concerned. It is not right for people to spend too much time on their own, not contributing in any way to society. These are the main areas in which I would like to see changes.

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