Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter for discussion. The Momentum programme introduced by the Minister for Social Protection in December is an excellent initiative providing 6,500 free education and training places for jobseekers. The focus is on creating jobs and getting jobseekers back to work. There are more than 84,000 people taking part in a range of labour activation projects. The JobBridge scheme has delivered positive results, with over 50% of finishers securing paid employment.

I was delighted that a company based in my constituency secured the contract to deliver a software development programme and cloud computing training programme. Future People, based in Cashel, is an excellent example of a company that is retraining people. However, several of my constituents who are interested in the programme have contacted me raising concerns about the eligibility criteria. I appreciate that the programme is prioritising the long-term unemployed, but there are people who are determined and anxious to get involved in these schemes and get back to work who are excluded. There are young married women at home who probably have mortgages but, because they are not receiving social welfare payments, they are finding times extremely hard. They would like to retrain and get involved in the job market but cannot because of the eligibility criteria that require them to be on jobseeker's allowance. They are one example of the type of person who cannot join these programmes. There are wives and partners who have been working but are not allowed join the programme. People who ran businesses cannot join because the loose ends of their businesses may not have been tidied up. They are under extreme pressure and want to work. They are people who have worked all their lives but unfortunately, due to the recession, they cannot. We are living in extremely difficult times and these people are under huge pressure. I ask that for a short period such people be allowed to join these programmes. They are wonderful programmes and great thought went into them. I compliment the Minister and her Department on coming up with this project and on the thought that people from FÁS and the Department put into bringing it together, but I want to know whether we can do something about the eligibility criteria.

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