Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 1: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the measures she has taken, in co-operation with other Departments, to move people from welfare to work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25547/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The national employment action plan, NEAP, operated jointly by the Department of Social and Family Affairs and FÁS, is the main welfare-to-work measure for jobseekers. The plan's process is fundamental in addressing the progression needs of those on the live register. It provides a stimulus to job search and affords an opportunity to explore, under professional guidance, the full range of employment and training services offered by FÁS.

Under the plan, all persons between the ages of 18 and 65 years who are approaching three months on the live register are identified by the Department and referred to FÁS for interview with a view to assisting them in entering or re-entering the labour market. The referral capacity under the plan has nearly doubled for 2009 from 6,500 cases per month to 12,250. In addition, the Government is now providing, through FÁS, a total of 128,000 training and activation places for unemployed people this year. There are also some 147,000 places available in further education programmes in 2009. This is a substantial increase on the number of places previously available. In response to the downturn in the construction industry sector and in recognition of the special difficulties faced by apprentices who are being laid off, the Department and FÁS are working together to facilitate them in finishing their apprenticeships.

The recent supplementary budget outlined a joint approach to activation by the Departments of Social and Family Affairs, Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Education and Science. I introduced a package of measures relating to the Department's back to work enterprise allowance and back to education allowance to facilitate better access to supports. The package put together by the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Education and Science has some 11 proposals to provide 23,435 extra employment and training scheme places.

With the increasing number of people who are unemployed, the Government is continuing to develop and put in place new programmes to enhance the work experience and training opportunities for them. Two such initiatives, the work placement programme and a pilot short-time working training programme, were announced recently. Under both initiatives, participants will continue to receive their existing social welfare entitlements from the Department of Social and Family Affairs. These new programmes, together with those already in place, demonstrate a substantive commitment on the part of the Government to create and implement initiatives that support and assist those finding themselves without work.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Regarding the new initiatives announced by the Minister and the Tánaiste in recent weeks, is the former satisfied with the sufficiency of the number of places? The work placement and short-time working programmes consist of approximately 2,277 places over a 52-week period whereas 3,375 jobs are being lost every seven days.

I have tabled a number of parliamentary questions regarding referrals to FÁS. The total number of referrals has almost doubled. While this sounds fantastic, looking behind the figures for the results shows a pathetic situation. Last year, the Department of Social and Family Affairs referred 60,000 people to FÁS. Some 41,000 were interviewed and 7,846 were placed in jobs, training or education. According to the Minister, 21,000 were interviewed but not placed in jobs, training or education. What occurred to those 21,000 people and what of the 12,000 who formed part of the original 41,000? They have just gone.

The figures for the first quarter of this year are even more worrying. Of those sent to FÁS, only 7% were placed in jobs, training or education. Last year, the figure for people with a successful outcome was 13%. What follow-up does the Department carry out after people are sent to FÁS to ensure that instead of just sending people for a short period or an interview, we are sending them to get something out of the opportunity? In the current climate, 7% for the first quarter is pathetic.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The recent announcements should be viewed as a package of measures. The Deputy asked about the 2,000 work and graduate placement places. It is a new initiative and there is nothing to say that, once it is up and running and people have registered with it, we should not be able to extend it. An initial number of 2,000 places is worth the effort. They will last for six months. Some 1,000 will go to graduates and 1,000 will go to other workers, 250 of which will be reserved for people under the age of 25 years. Since it is being done through FÁS and both jobseekers and participating employers can register, a number of issues must be teased out to make sure that there is no job displacement, that is, killing off existing positions. I would welcome the programme's expansion.

While I do not want to repeat myself, additional places have been made available in the further education sector. The Deputy did not mention the recent announcement on the expressions of interest being sought from the third level sector in a part-time course that will make 2,500 places available. They all add up.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Not to much.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy asked about people who are referred to FÁS. It is always interesting to note that, as soon as people get a letter about being called for interview, they leave the live register. Some 12% left immediately. They did not even go for their interviews. It could be a control measure, that is, they might not have believed that they had been on the live register legitimately. Perhaps they found other opportunities.

The Deputy asked about this year's figures. I am also disappointed that so few people have been placed in education and training. However, it was not the time of year to place people in either. For example, were one looking for places in further or higher education, one would not find them in March, April or May. I hope that the programme's take-up will increase in September when people who have been interviewed can be guided into the places in question. We must obviously keep an eye on this matter.

When people return to the live register, they are interviewed after a further three months. It is not as if they are just left there. The process is ongoing in conjunction with the education sector and FÁS. As the Deputy stated, the Local Employment Service Network, LESN, is on board throughout most of the country and is providing training and education for people who might not be picked up by other services. The LESN is running literacy, preparation for work and preparation for college courses. It is a valuable service.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Even if the figure is not 7% by the end of the year, 87% of people referred to FÁS last year did not jump off the live register when they received their letters. What is occurring in respect of that large number? Having a referral system is easy, but the outcomes are important, as I am sure the Minister agrees. Judging by these outcomes, the system is failing.

Given the Minister's statement that people are signing back on, when will she deal with the issue of people doing short-term FÁS courses signing off and signing on? This situation causes more queues and difficulties for her Department and the people themselves.

Has it been suggested to the Department's facilitators that they should get involved in fraud control measures? It has been put to me that facilitators have been asked to spend one day per week on fraud control as opposed to facilitation work. Is this is the case?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Of the people referred this year, 36% left the live register. Some 15% did this after their interviews and 12%, the control measure people, did not turn up for their interviews. Only 9% were placed in jobs, education or training, which is the matter on which I share the Deputy's disappointment.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Minister should address it.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I hope that the figure will pick up later this year.

The process is being streamlined. People who leave the live register to take on short-term work or FÁS training will have their re-applications to the social welfare system streamlined. This is important because it will free up staff and reduce queues.

I am unaware of facilitators being asked to work one day per week as described. Everyone is on the alert for reasons of fraud control. I will check out whether facilitators were asked to do that specifically.