Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 188: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of persons currently signing on the live register; the degree to which this represents an increase over the past two years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17353/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The live register is published by the Central Statistics Office on a monthly basis. The figures show that the number of persons signing on the Live Register at the 24th April 2009 is 384,448. This represents an increase of 188,850 on the number for the last week in April 2008 and an increase of 230,129 on the number for the last week of April 2007.

While the monthly rate of increase has been coming down in recent months, from 36,498 in January to 13,177 in April, I am acutely conscious of how job losses on this scale impact on the individuals and families affected. Income support continues to be the department's first priority in relation to people who are unemployed. Despite the economic downturn, the rates of payment have been maintained above the level of inflation.

The increase in the volume of claims for unemployment payments has imposed a severe strain on resources but the department has taken steps to ensure that waiting times are minimised.

It is recognised that while income support is a crucial support, we must also do all we can to help get people back to work. The department through its Employment Support Services and in conjunction with other agencies continues to assist people on the live register to make the transition to work, education or training. Changes were made in the recent supplementary budget to the rate of payment in jobseeker's allowance to people under 20 in order to incentivise them to avail of training and education opportunities Under the National Employment Plan, people who are approaching 3 months on the live register are identified by the department and referred to FÁS for interview with a view to job placement or an offer of training.

The Government is now providing, through FÁS, a total of 128,000 training and activation places for the unemployed this year. This is a substantial increase on the approximate 66,000 places taken up last year. Also, Job Search/National Employment Action Plan referral capacity has nearly doubled for 2009 from 6,500 cases per month to 12,250. This represents an unprecedented increase in capacity for this programme, which is being undertaken by FÁS in co-operation with the Department of Social and Family Affairs. In addition there are 146,700 places in further education programmes in 2009.

The recent supplementary budget outlined a joint approach to activation agreed between the departments of Social and Family Affairs, Enterprise Trade & Employment and Education & Science. A range of additional measures were outlined aimed at maintaining people in employment, re-skilling and facilitating better access to allowances while avoiding undue negative impacts on vulnerable individuals.

As part of the budget I introduced a package of measures relating to the back to work enterprise allowance and back to education allowance schemes to facilitate better access to supports. The package put together by the Departments of Enterprise, Trade & Employment and Education & Science has some 11 proposals to provide 23,435 extra employment and training scheme places.

This demonstrates the scale of activity being supported by this Government to ensure that people are best positioned to get back into employment.