Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

The jobs initiative scheme was launched in July 1996 and continues to provide full-time employment for people who are 35 years of age or over, unemployed for 5 years or more and in receipt of social welfare payments over that period. The main purpose of the programme is to assist long-term unemployed people to prepare for work opportunities by providing participants with work experience, training and development opportunities. The programme is sponsored by voluntary organisations and public bodies involved in not for profit activities.

Following changes introduced by the then Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, on 10 November 2004, no new entrants have been admitted on to the job initiative schemes. However, contracts for existing participants are renewed allowing them the option to continue until they are 65 years of age. Where persons leave the job initiative scheme, that place can be allocated as a community employment place. The full range of FÁS services are made available to participants who leave voluntarily.

The 2009 budget for the job initiative is €39 million and there are currently 1,444 participants, with this number decreasing annually due to retirement and other reasons. The Government will continue to support the positive role of FÁS employment schemes in meeting the needs of long-term unemployed persons while at the same time providing essential services to communities. The operation of this scheme is being kept under constant review in the context of current difficult unemployment.

The jobs initiatives scheme forms part of the Government's response to unemployment. Other initiatives include a doubling of the provision of training and work experience places managed by FÁS to more than 130,000 places, an increase in the referral capacity of FÁS employment services from the Department of Social and Family Affairs to 147,000 persons in 2009 and the establishment of the employment subsidy scheme to directly or indirectly protect approximately 80,000 jobs at a total cost of €135 million over 2009 and 2010.

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