Seanad debates

Wednesday, 29 April 2009

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2009: Committee Stage

 

2:00 pm

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

This section relates to customer activation, information profiling, the new short-term schemes, etc. The Department of Social and Family Affairs is fortunate that it has access to the skills of 60 facilitators and 40 adult guidance officers. It also has access to vocational education committee information officers, is involved with FÁS and is involved in partnerships with local employment schemes. These various individuals and groups are in a position to provide people with information. This is significant for two groups of people, the first of which is that comprising 18 or 19 year olds. We need to ensure these individuals can obtain access to the courses they wish to pursue.

It is important that people who are claiming the jobseeker's allowance should make themselves available for training. The national employment action plan has been extremely successful in removing people from the live register. This section will ensure they do not merely sit back and state that they are not willing to participate. We are merely putting into legislation what is, in effect, already happening with regard to the number of people we are referring. The section is designed to encourage people to avail of upskilling, training and educational opportunities in order that they might take up good job opportunities when they arise.

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