Written answers

Tuesday, 12 June 2018

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Youth Unemployment Measures

Photo of Maurice QuinlivanMaurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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1263. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the measures she plans to introduce to address the level of youth unemployment (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25550/18]

Photo of Regina DohertyRegina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Government policy to reduce unemployment is twofold.First, through policies set out in the Action Plan for Jobs, to create an environment in which business can succeed and create jobs; and second, through Pathways to Work, to ensure that as many as possible of these new jobs and other vacancies that arise in our economy are filled by people taken from the Live Register, including young people.

Reflecting the impact of government policy, and the overall improvement in the labour market, youth unemployment continues to fall with a rate of 11.9% (32,300 persons) in May 2018 estimated by CSO, down from a peak rate of almost 32% in 2012.The actual number of young people unemployed is estimated to have peaked at 97,800 persons in late 2010. Youth unemployment figures can be expected to fall further this year in line with the continuing forecast fall in overall unemployment.

In early 2018, youth unemployment is already below the 12% target level set in Pathways to Work for 2020. Additionally, Eurostat figures indicate that the number of young people in full-time employment has grown from 197,000 in mid-2012 to 238,000 by Q.4 2017.

These trends indicate that together with improvements in the labour market and economic recovery, our approach to youth employment, which focuses in the first instance on enhancing processes and policies for assisting young unemployed people to find and secure sustainable jobs, has been relatively successful.

Under the Government’s policies to support the young unemployed, the first intervention is to provide case officer support to help newly unemployed young people find and secure sustainable jobs. There is monthly engagement with all young jobseekers by a case officer, and a Personal Progression Plan is developed to chart the steps to be taken to facilitate a return to employment, which may include further education and training or other opportunities.

For those who do not find employment, through the process just described, additional offers are provided for. Most such offers (over 70%) are in existing further education or training programmes. Others are in existing community-based employment programmes/workplace based interventions such as CE, Gateway and Tús and First Steps; or in subsidies to employers, through JobsPlus Youth. Long-term unemployed jobseekers under-25 are also referred to JobPath, a contracted, payment-by-results employment services that provides additional resources and supports to those long-term unemployed.

The strategy documentPathways to Work 2016 to 2020includes some additional actions in relation to addressing youth unemployment:

1) increase the relative share of workplace-based interventions (Gateway, TÚS, Positive to Work etc.) for youth unemployed;

2) ensure the frequency of engagement with all young unemployed people is a minimum of one case officer meeting per month;

3) restructure the First Steps programme for young unemployed people to improve take-up by offering a higher level of support to jobseekers and employers

4) implement the Defence Forces Skills for Life employment support programme.

Each of these actions is either ongoing or has been completed.

I will shortly be introducing a new work experience programme targeted specifically at young jobseekers who are long-term unemployed or who face significant barriers to gaining employment. The new Youth Employment Support Scheme (YESS) will provide them with the opportunity to learn basic work and social skills in a supportive environment while on a work placement. Operational details are currently being finalised.

I am satisfied that the current policy approach will continue to address youth unemployment and support further improvements in the labour market situation for young people.

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