Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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50. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which he proposes to put in place incentives to reduce youth and long-term unemployment; the extent to which existing schemes require upgrading in line with requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2761/17]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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The purpose of this question is to highlight the situation with long-term and youth unemployment, the extent to which progress has been made and the extent to which it is necessary to continue to ensure that the needs of the long-term and young unemployed are pursued.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Government’s primary strategy to tackle unemployment, including long-term unemployment and youth unemployment, is twofold. The Action Plan for Jobs supports continuing strong economic recovery and employment growth.

Policies and actions to ensure unemployed people benefit from the increase in employment are set out in the strategy paper Pathways to Work 2016-2020. These policies have been effective in reducing both youth and long-term unemployment.

Youth unemployment is generally higher than adult unemployment in all EU member states because, at any time, a large number of young people are recent leavers from education and seeking a first job. However, the most recent data show Irish youth unemployment has fallen from a peak of 31.1% in 2012 to 14.5% in December 2016. Irish youth unemployment has thus fallen from well above the EU average in 2012 to below the current EU figure of 18.8%. Over the same period, the rate of long-term unemployment has fallen from a peak of 9.5% to 4.2%. Both figures can be expected to fall further this year in line with the forecast fall in overall unemployment.

Policy continues to focus on support for the long-term unemployed and young unemployed. For example, the Pathways to Work 2016-2020 strategy prioritises long-term unemployed people. It does this most notably through the roll-out of JobPath to engage more systematically with this group, targeted wage subsidies under JobsPlus and reserved places for long-term unemployed jobseekers on employment and training programmes. Under the Youth Guarantee there is monthly engagement by case officers with unemployed young people to assist them to prepare and implement personal progression plans for employment. Where young people do not find work quickly, additional supports are offered through places on employment and training schemes. I am confident these current and planned measures will support further reductions in long-term unemployment and youth unemployment.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. To what degree has any examination been carried out as to the underlying causes of long-term youth unemployment? To what extent have the qualifications of the young people on the live register been examined with a view to ascertaining how best to ensure people in the category have the best possible chance of achieving employment at the earliest opportunity? To what degree are long-term unemployed people in the early 60s age bracket of particular concern?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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In our employment activation services, we try as much as possible to treat people as individuals rather than as part of a demographic group, whether old or young. Everybody is assessed and a probability of exit from unemployment, PEX, score is calculated, which indicates the probability of their finding employment without assistance. The focus is put on those who would find it most difficult to find employment. While one can put people into demographic groups and make assumptions based on it, experience has shown the best way to assist people from welfare into employment is to assess them individually, regardless of their age, see what their needs and education levels are, and work with them from there.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I again thank the Minister for his reply. I welcome the individual, one-to-one assessment, which can personalise the attention given to the unemployed person, whether they are young or older. One of the experiences that has shown up over the years is that people in the early 60s age bracket seem to have different requirements from others in the sense that they may have been out of work for a long time and may have developed health issues in the interim. To what extent can their particular situation be catered for, given that they may have been out of work for a long time and may not be in the best of health?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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We have a particular concern with people who are unemployed in their 60s. Again, everybody's individual story is different. Somebody may have been working for decades and may have been made redundant in his or her 60s. Another person may be in his or her 60s and may not have worked for decades. This is a very different person, and that is why it is important to assess people individually. In some cases, people are not able to work due to health issues and it is more appropriate for them to apply for an alternative payment such as an illness payment or a disability payment. The proportion of people in receipt of illness and disability payments rises through the 40s, 50s and 60s. If they are able to work and do not have a disability, they are considered to be jobseekers.