Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 413: To ask the Minister for Social Protection with regard to the development of a youth employment action plan as identified by the European Union Commission, could we have support for young entrepreneurs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22029/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Primary responsibility for employment policy, incentives and job creation, in the main lies, with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. As the Deputy will be aware, many actions being undertaken by Government in respect of supporting employment range across a number of Departments and Agencies.

In respect of actions undertaken by the Government, a range of reforms and incentives to support, protect and create jobs, were introduced as part of the Jobs Initiative in May 2011. In February 2012, the Government published a comprehensive 'Action Plan for Jobs' and identified a range of specific actions to drive job creation under a range of headings. These actions are spread across numerous Departments and Agencies encompassing a whole of Government approach to protecting and creating jobs.

As part of these processes, the Department of Social Protection offers a number of supports which encompass people under 25 years of age. The Employer (Job) PRSI Incentive scheme was launched in 2010 and has now been simplified and extended as part of the Action Plan for Jobs 2012. Under the scheme, if an employer takes on an additional member of staff in 2012 , who has been unemployed and in receipt of an eligible payment for 6 months or more, they will be exempt from paying employers' PRSI for 18 months. The job must be new and additional, be for at least 30 hours a week and last for at least six months. The exemption is available for new and additional employees up to 5% of employers existing workforce or, for smaller companies, a maximum of 5 new jobs.

I launched the National Internship Scheme, JobBridge in 2011 to provide work experience placements for interns for a 6 or 9 month period. The aim of the national internship scheme is to assist in breaking the cycle where jobseekers are unable to get a job without experience, either as new entrants to the labour market after education or training or as unemployed workers wishing to learn new skills. Additionally, Tús – the community work placement initiative became operation in mid 2011 and provides part-time work opportunities for those aged 18 and over.

At the end of 2011, the European Commission adopted a new 'Youth Opportunities Initiative' which called on Member State to work on preventing early school leaving; helping young people develop skills relevant to the labour market; ensuring work experience and on-the-job training and helping young people find a good first job. The Commission urged Member States to make better use of the European Social Fund and put forward a range of actions for Member States to consider. The Government actions fully support the Commission's initiative.