Written answers

Wednesday, 26 October 2005

Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

Social Inclusion

9:00 pm

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 99: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the services the unemployed are offered under the local development social inclusion programme; the success of these measures in returning the unemployed to the labour market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30748/05]

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The local development social inclusion programme, LDSIP, aims to counter disadvantage and to promote equality and social and economic inclusion. The programme encompasses three action areas services for the unemployed; community development; and community based youth initiatives.

Within the services for the unemployed sub-measure, actions are developed that aim to counter the effects of long-term unemployment and under-employment. All actions under this sub-measure aim to target individuals most vulnerable in the labour market through a series of locally appropriate approaches.

The range of supports and the rates of activity for each type of support depend both on the local partnership, and on the individual receiving support, and are based on integrated local development plans which respond to local needs. Individuals receive intensive one-to-one guidance and are supported in a variety of ways depending on their particular abilities. Typical actions include: provision of advice, guidance, and mentoring for those accessing information, employment, education, training and self-employment options; delivery of tailored and flexible training initiatives; development and maintenance of employer and service provider networks; development of self-employment-social economy initiatives which are focused on, and related to, all target groups of the programme; and provision of support to low-income smallholders.

In the period from 2000 to June 2005, 125,160 people were supported under the services for the unemployed measure. Approximately 18% of these people were supported into taking up employment and 12% were supported into business start-ups. A further 49,226 people participated in education and training programmes, 50% of whom participated in certified education and training.

More information on the progression of individuals supported will be available at the end of 2006, when the results of a research study that commenced earlier this year is available. This study aims to assess the impact of the services for the unemployed measure, by identifying the progression outcomes and impacts achieved for a sample of the clients supported and to assess the contribution of the approaches to the work in meeting the programmes' objectives.

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