Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 170: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the measures she will introduce to help highly educated unemployed persons re-enter the workforce. [10528/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The National Employment Action Plan is the main activation measure for jobseekers and provides for a systematic engagement of the employment services with unemployed people. Under the Plan, all persons between the ages of 18 and 65 years who are approaching 3 months on the Live Register, are identified by the Department of Social Protection and referred to FÁS for interview with the aim of assisting them to enter/re-enter the labour market. The Employment Action plan process is a key element in addressing the progression needs of those on the Live Register. It provides a stimulus to job search and affords an opportunity to explore, under professional guidance, the full range of employment and training services offered by FÁS.

The Programme for Government states that a new National Employment and Entitlements Service will be established under the management of the Department of Social Protection. The objective is to integrate the unemployment payments elements currently provided directly by the Department of Social Protection and the employment services currently provided by FÁS into a single service. This integration of employment services and related benefit payment services within the Department of Social Protection will provide a 'one stop shop' for people wishing to establish their benefit entitlements, seek employment and / or seek advice about their training options. The focus will be very much on the individual, his / her rights to a payment, his / her access to an opportunity to engage in employment, training or upskilling, as appropriate and his / her responsibility to engage with such opportunities as they are provided.

A key objective of the Government in relation to the new service is that it will offer users a high level of personalised employment support and prioritise the provision of more intensive support for those on the live register who are identified as being most at risk of long-term unemployment. This will be achieved through the use of proactive approaches and modern case management systems. The cohort referred to by the Deputy will benefit from this approach.