James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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36. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to address the unemployment black spots in County Wexford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50465/17]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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What are the Minister's plans to address the unemployment black spots in County Wexford? Could she make a statement on the matter?

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The official measure of unemployment is sourced from the quarterly national household survey, QNHS. The most recent data show that the unemployment rate fell from a peak of 15% in 2012 to just over 6% in mid-2017. The number at work has increased from just over 1.8 million in quarter 2 of 2012 to over 2 million in quarter 2 of 2017. That is an increase of just under 230,000 people with new jobs. Within the south-east region, which includes Wexford, unemployment has fallen from a staggering 19% to 8.1% over the same period, and the number in employment has increased by 29,000 to 214,900.

While the data from the QNHS are not available at county level, trends in the live register can give an indication of underlying trends in local unemployment. Overall, the live register in Wexford has fallen by almost 42% in five years, close to the reduction of 44% nationally. In the year to October 2017, the live register number in Wexford has fallen by 1,741 people, or almost 14%, again closely in line with the national trend.

The Government's primary strategy to tackle unemployment since 2012 has been twofold. First, through policies set out in the Action Plan for Jobs, the objective is to create an environment in which business can succeed and create jobs. The policy now includes a specific regional action plan for jobs for the south east that has seen over 8,000 jobs created in the area over the past two years. Second, through Pathways to Work, we ensure that as many of these new jobs and other vacancies that arise in our economy are filled by people taken from the live register. Under this policy, the employment service and activation supports provided by my Department are heavily concentrated on the areas of highest unemployment, including those in Wexford. For example, case officers in Wexford are currently working with over 1,400 people in identifying suitable employment and training opportunities. Almost 3,000 referrals to training and educational opportunities took place in 2016. A total of 1,165 of those training opportunities have been made to date in 2017, an increase of over 33% on the same period in 2016.

I acknowledge the Deputy is concerned about his region but the policies we have put in place, both through activation and the Action Plan for Jobs, are working. We will continue to give extra support to Wexford until its figures are in line with the national trend.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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My question concerns the unemployment black spots, particularly those in County Wexford as outlined in the recently released CSO figures. The south east in general and parts of Wexford in particular continue to suffer unnecessarily from high unemployment. I say unnecessarily because there is a huge untapped potential in terms of the economy in County Wexford, particularly in light of its proximity to Dublin and Europe. I am particularly concerned that, in the broader statistics of decreasing unemployment, local areas with persistent unemployment will be lost in the statistics and forgotten. It will take targeted measures to address the high levels of unemployment in certain parts of Wexford. I am especially concerned about unemployed people under the age of 25 and those over the age of 55. Will the Minister outline the specific programmes to target youth unemployment and unemployment among those aged over 55, particularly in circumstances where individuals have been unemployed long term?

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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It is astounding that the number of unemployed people in the south east rose from 181,300 in 2012 to 214,900 in 2017, an increase of 15.5%, whereas nationally unemployment rose by only 11.5% in the same period. Specific care, attention and extra resources are being given to the south east. The unemployment rate in the south east is still relatively high at 8.1% given that the national average is 6%.

In terms of the identification of unemployment black spots identified in the census, it is important to recognise that the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection's services through the Intreo offices, jobs clubs, JobPath and other activation measures are focused on unemployed individuals as opposed to specific areas. This means that those areas where unemployed individuals are most concentrated get the most supports. That is currently what happens and it will continue to happen in the south east. We will work to ensure that the success realised in recent years in terms of the improvement of employment levels in Deputy Browne's area will continue. We will keep working until everybody who wants a job can get a job.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I acknowledge that there has been employment growth but the south east, particularly Wexford, still lags behind the rest of the country. High rates of unemployment continue to be a feature in parts of County Wexford.

In the context of activation programmes and trying to get individuals back into the workforce, I am concerned that some of the activity in this regard is not being pursued in an intelligent manner. I am aware of many people both under the age of 25 and over the age of 55 who suffer from obvious mental health problems. They have difficulties remaining in mainstream employment but they are being taken off community employment, CE, schemes in circumstances where, for example, they are contributing to local society. I refer to meals on wheels schemes, village renewal schemes and work in community centres. Those people are being forced into training and start-your-own-business schemes for which they are plainly not suitable when it would be good for their mental health and for the community if they were allowed to remain on the schemes to which I refer. The concerns of individuals who are experiencing difficulties should be addressed.

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Within the Department, ten activation case officers in County Wexford work deliberately and in a very focused way with those who are unemployed to ensure that we get them employment-ready and help them to link up with the jobs that are available and, thankfully, being created in Deputy Browne's area.

I wish to correct the record. Nobody is taken off a CE scheme or a Tús scheme. Conditions attach to those activation programmes. For Tús, there is a one-year condition attaching.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Are people not taken off those schemes after a certain period, for example, three years?

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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There are conditions attaching to all of the activation schemes but nobody is taken off them.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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People are not allowed to stay on them indefinitely.

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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That is not the same as what Deputy Browne said earlier.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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People are taken off the schemes after three years.

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The position with regard to people coming to the end of their period on schemes is entirely different to the suggestion that they are being taken off them.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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They are taken off after a period.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister should be allowed to conclude.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister, rather than being obtuse, should address the substance of the issue.

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Browne should not call me obtuse. Terms and conditions attach to every activation scheme. The current terms and conditions with CE schemes are two years and three years, with an extension to seven years in a person's total working lifespan. Nobody is taken off a CE scheme. People come to the end of their term and have to go to other activation programmes, as is the norm. The CE schemes are under review in the context of changing those terms and conditions to reflect some of the things Deputy Browne suggested. He should please not misrepresent the schemes that were established by his party some years ago.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister is dealing in semantics.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I call Deputy John Brady to introduce his question.

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Could I just say that case officers are working-----

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I am sorry but we must move on.