Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will detail options open to her, within the remit of her department, to respond to the serious unemployment figures in Tallaght, Dublin 24; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54399/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Live Register figures from the Intreo Centre Tallaght covers the Tallaght, Dublin 24, Firhouse, Citywest, Saggart, Rathcoole, Blessington areas. The total number of persons on the Live Register for this area in November 2012 was 11,499 including 1,890 persons who are working part-time/casually. The Government’s approach to tackling the unemployment problem is to focus resources on those individuals most at risk of long-term unemployment. Up to the recent past, this has been based on identifying all persons who remain on the Live Register for three months after first signing on, and referring them for more intensive job-search assistance and guidance. Increasingly, referral is now based on profiling people at the beginning of a spell of unemployment, so as to focus resources on those most in need at an even earlier stage.

By definition, such an approach focuses resources on those areas where unemployment is highest and of longest duration. The roll-out of the profiling system at my Department’s ‘one-stop-shop’ Intreo offices will further enhance this effect as one of the main variables in the profiling system is geographical location. In other words, if someone comes from an area of high unemployment, s/he will, all other things being equal, receive more targeted assistance.

The outcomes delivered by the Employment Services from the Intreo Centre Tallaght are as follows:

- 3,500 customers assisted into various training opportunities

- Engagement with 117 companies through the Jobsbridge initiative

- 893 persons assisted with Technical Employment Supports Grants

- 350 persons assisted with payments from the Technical Assistance Training Fund

- 27 persons assisted through the Work Subsidy & the Employment Subsidy Schemes.

- 182 persons assisted through the Work Placement Programme

- Approximately 200 persons will receive assistance through the Activation Family Support Programme by the end of 2012

- 489 persons on the Back to Education Allowance; 160 Back to Work participants and 128 Systematic Short Term Workers.

In addition, the geographical distribution of places on employment programmes such as CE and Tús & training programmes has been highly correlated with unemployment rates for each region. Within the Tús programme there is a specific area-based approach to the allocation of places. The 5,000 places on the scheme are allocated to community and voluntary organisations involved in the delivery of local services in urban and rural areas. The allocation is based on the numbers of eligible unemployed people in each local development company or Údarás na Gaeltachta area. Some 420 persons have been assisted towards participation on the Tus programme in the greater Tallaght area.

Specifically to the greater Tallaght area, Community Services provide funding to:

- 25 CE schemes serving the greater Tallaght area, with a total of 578 places contained within these schemes.

- There are 5 Jobs Initiative programmes which provide 94 permanent jobs.

- There are 3 Jobs Clubs presently operating in the Tallaght area (which assist persons with interviewing skills, CV preparation, contacts with employers)

- Jobs Clubs operate for a set period of weeks for each group of persons, and have a capacity to engage with circa 400 persons per annum in the Tallaght area.

- The Government’s approach to tackling the unemployment problem is to focus resources on those individuals most at risk of long-term unemployment.

- Up to the recent past, this has been based on identifying all persons who remain on the Live Register for three months after first signing on, and referring them for more intensive job-search assistance and guidance. Increasingly, referral is now based on profiling people at the beginning of a spell of unemployment, so as to focus resources on those most in need at an even earlier stage.