Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In May 2011, Social Justice Ireland outlined a proposal for a part-time job opportunities programme in its pre-budget policy briefing. It envisaged that placements for the long-term unemployed, which do not fall within my area of responsibility, would be made in the public sector and the community and voluntary sector. However, my colleagues, the Ministers for Education and Skills and Social Protection, have introduced a number of new programmes, including Momentum and Gateway, which complement the traditional community employment and Tús programmes. Together, these schemes provide capacity for almost 40,000 persons who are long-term unemployed.

As the Deputy will be aware, this Government has made job creation a key priority since it came into office. We have introduced the Action Plan for Jobs with the objective to support the creation of 100,000 net new jobs in the economy by 2016. I am glad to say we have seen an improvement in the employment situation since Social Justice Ireland made its proposal in 2011. The most recent employment figures published by the Central Statistics Office showed a year-on-year increase of 61,000 people in employment at the end of 2013, net of reductions in the public sector. This was the fifth quarter in succession where employment grew on an annual basis and almost 90% of the jobs created were in full-time employment.

Unemployment at the end of 2013 was down 41,400 over the year and 60,000 over the past two years. The number of persons who are long-term unemployed fell by 40,000 over the two years. However, we cannot be complacent. We will continue to tackle long-term unemployment through the twin strategies of Pathways to Work and the Action Plan for Jobs as we continue towards our objective of supporting the creation of 100,000 extra jobs in the economy.

To answer the second question, we are certainly open to new ideas. Each year, the action plan evolves new proposals relating to suggestions or submissions made to us.

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