Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 115: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on introducing a new type of work scheme for skilled workers in receipt of social welfare; if there is a potential for linking in new work schemes with current or planned capital infrastructure projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31356/08]

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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FÁS as an agency of my Department operates two employment schemes, community employment and job initiative.

Community employment is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a fixed term basis. The programme helps unemployed people to progress to the open labour market by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to work routine and assists them in enhancing-developing their technical and personal skills.

The job initiative programme provides full-time employment for people who are 35 years of age or over, unemployed for five or more years and in receipt of social welfare payments during 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.

There are no plans to create another employment programme. However, FÁS is working to quickly respond to the changing employment market. In regard to the construction sector, where we have witnessed a substantial number of redundancies during the past 12 months, the Government will continue to work with all of the relevant stakeholders to ensure timely and satisfactory responses to the adjustments taking place. This will include the continued provision of a range of training opportunities for those who lose their jobs in the construction sector. FÁS will also provide retraining to redundant workers in emerging areas of the construction sector which are experiencing growth such as environmental related activity; compliance and regulatory related work; waste management activity; and sustainable energy systems installation. The Government will also continue to promote access for mobile workers to construction jobs elsewhere in the EU.

As regards planned capital infrastructure projects, I would expect that it would be open to unemployed workers to apply for any vacant positions with the relevant contractors.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I cannot thank the Minister of State for his reply as it is not the reply I wanted to hear. I am shocked that there are no new initiatives in this area. The first part of the reply referred to schemes already in place. I and everybody else knows what schemes are already in place. I am disappointed with the Minister of State's response to this issue which I have raised at committee level, with FÁS and with other agencies. I am asking that the Minister and Ministers of State use their imagination — this is not rocket science — and come up schemes that will match up across various Departments unemployed, well-skilled people with jobs. How hard can that be? Doing so would be more or less cost neutral given the high cost, social and financial, of unemployment.

There is much work to be done in our communities. Many train stations, bus stations and schools are in disrepair and in need of serious maintenance. There is an endless amount of work that could be done during these bad times. This would ensure those who want to work get work. All I am asking is that people use their imaginations. I hope I will hear within the next month or so that the Department has some new ideas in this regard. I was told by FÁS officials at a committee meeting that they would look into this but they had no answers for me some two months later. More than 70,000 or 80,000 people have joined the dole queues. These people are skilled and available to work. What plans are there to match up these people with jobs? I accept a great deal is being done in respect of training.

I hope that the Minister of State can tell me that he and his colleagues are prepared to work during the next couple of months on some new ideas in respect of unemployment relief schemes. Let us try to match up people with work that needs to be done. There are dark times ahead and we should try to prepare for them.

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for his suggestions. It is important to stress again that FÁS, because of the downturn in the construction industry in particular, is actively engaged in meeting people who have been, unfortunately, made redundant and providing them with a personal work programme to assist them in returning to employment. All of the suggestions made must be considered in the context of the forthcoming budget.

The Government is open to new ideas and if Deputy English has any, he should put them forward for consideration.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I have no problem putting forward ideas and I will do so. I have set them out for the Minister of State. Many people are awaiting the commencement of work under the disabled persons and essential repairs grants schemes, schools are awaiting assistance under the summer work schemes and many of our train stations and bus stations are in need of serious repair. I have raised this issue at committee level where we are supposed to do good work on a cross-party basis. Why can we not match up, through the local authorities and FÁS, unemployed people with work in these areas. I accept what is required is a type of voluntary scheme but it must be an attractive one. Surely, it would not be that hard to do this.

I raised this issue with the Department more than a month ago. I will forward detailed plans in this regard if the Minister of State so wishes. I hope the Minister of State can tell me that he and his colleagues have an open mind on this issue. The community employment scheme deals with long-term unemployed people and does not suit everybody. I am asking for a new scheme similar to those in operation in other countries and in Northern Ireland. All I am asking is that we try something.

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I must reiterate that all issues are being considered in the context of the forthcoming budget.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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They do not seem to be.

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy English should await the announcement of the budget on 14 October in this regard.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The Minister of State said there are no plans to introduce a new scheme.

Jimmy Devins (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Not at the moment.