Written answers
Tuesday, 19 June 2018
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Unemployment Levels
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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567. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the current extent of long-term unemployment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26915/18]
Regina 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 of these new jobs and other vacancies that arise in our economy are filled by people taken from the Live Register, and in particular the long-term unemployed.
To date, these policies have been effective in reducing long-term unemployment. For example, the most recent data shows that the rate of long-term unemployment in Ireland has fallen from a peak of 9.5% in 2012 to 2.5%. in Q4 2017. This downward trend indicates that Ireland is well on course to bring long-term unemployment below 2.5% in accordance with Pathways to Worktargets for 2020, and maybe even improve on it.
Policy continues to focus on support for the long-term unemployed. For example, the Pathways to Work 2016-2020 strategy prioritises long-term unemployed people – most notably through the roll-out of JobPath to engage more systematically with this group; through targeted wage subsidies under JobsPlus; and through reserved places for long-term unemployed jobseekers on employment and training programmes.
The table shows the most recent end of month statistics on the number of people availing of a range of programmes targeted primarily at the long-term unemployed (over 12 months). Statistics for April 2018 are compared with those for April 2017.
Activation Programmes (April 2017 and April 2018)
| Activation Schemes | Apr-17 | Apr-18 |
|---|---|---|
| Back to Work Enterprise allowance scheme – self-employed strand. | 10,658 | 8,525 |
| Short-term Enterprise Allowance1 | 407 | 345 |
| Total - Back to Work Schemes | 11,065 | 8,870 |
| Part-time Job Incentive | 466 | 409 |
| TÚS - Community Work Placement Initiative | 7,165 | 6,300 |
| JobBridge - National Internship Scheme2 | 746 | 0 |
| Gateway (2013) | 345 | 8 |
| Other Activation Programmes | 8,722 | 6,717 |
| Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| Back to Education Allowance3 | 13,362 | 10,552 |
| Total - Back to Education Courses: | 18,362 | 15,552 |
| Community Employment Schemes (excluding Supervisors) | 22,161 | 21,766 |
| FAS (Solas) full time training for the unemployed4 | 6,489 | 5,995 |
| TOTAL | 66,799 | 58,900 |
This scheme was introduced from 1stMay 2009. It provides immediate support for someone in receipt of Jobseekers Benefit who wants to start a business.
This scheme was closed to new applications from 21 October 2016.
BTEA figures include all schemes but participants from JA & JB are not entitled to BTEA during the summer holidays. Includes Momentum participants from February 2013.
Figure as at December 2017. Data for 2018 is currently unavailable.
I am confident that the current policy approach, and continuing economic recovery, will support further reductions in long-term unemployment and add to the substantial improvements that have already been seen over the last few years.
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