Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am not necessarily consoled by the Minister of State's comments on the treatment of those who have had caring duties for a considerable period and who find they are not treated the same as other people who are technically long-term unemployed, at least in the context of the Momentum scheme. The scheme creates a gilt-edged opportunity for many long-term unemployed people to access the labour market and get genuine opportunities for jobs. It is important that we target such an approach.

The Minister of State is correct that it is only appropriate that the long-term unemployed are specifically targeted, which is the focus of Pathways to Work. Nevertheless, there is an imbalance, and I wish to point out the dangerous precedent inherent in this policy decision to exclude some people who have been in receipt of carer's allowance for a long period and not consider them as essentially being on the live register for 12 months. I accept there are complexities and I fear hundreds of people may be in the circumstances I describe. It is a point of principle from which we cannot move, and we should not put such a line in the sand with regard to treating carers differently to other social welfare recipients. The Government should be conscious of that.

We are all conscious that there are approximately 450,000 State-funded training places, with specific targeting of those who are long-term unemployed. We must examine the definition of "long-term unemployed" in the context of this programme and we should recognise the function which carers play in society. When that function comes to an end, often in tragic and difficult circumstances, carers should be fast-tracked into training schemes if they wish to partake, and they should be fast-tracked into employment to ensure we recognise the role played by carers in society. When caring duties end, these people should have optimum opportunities to train and access gainful employment. That is important, particularly for carers who may find it difficult to adapt when the caring role concludes and especially if those people have been out of the direct labour force for some time.

See this speech in context