Key elements of the Government's employment action plan, presented by the Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment yesterday, are being investigated by the International Labour Organisation.
Ms Harney is hoping to use the plan to reduce overall unemployment to 5 per cent by the end of the year and long-term unemployment to just 2 per cent of the workforce. Unemployment is already down to 6.7 per cent, well below the 7 per cent target set by Ms Harney for the end of 2000.
One of the more successful provisions of the 1998 plan has attracted the attention of the Inter national Labour Organisation. This is the provision which allows payments to welfare claimants to be reviewed if they do not accept offers of training, education or a job. If they are found not to be available for work, the payments can be stopped.
Since the scheme was introduced last September, more than 60 per cent of those targeted had left the live register by the end of this April. The scheme was initially used to tackle unemployment among those aged 25 or under. Of those who did not attend, 15 per cent ultimately had payments disallowed. The 1999 plan extends this element to the 25 to 34 age group.
The ILO investigation follows a complaint to it by the Scheme Workers' Alliance, which represents activists in the State-funded community employment programme. The alliance has been opposed to Ms Harney's policy of reducing numbers on such schemes, which it says are more suited to the needs of many long-term unemployed people.
Alliance researcher Mr Leo Duffy said yesterday a formal complaint against the Government had been lodged with the ILO under convention 29, which prohibits forced labour, and convention 105, which prohibits the use of physical or mental constraints to make someone accept employment which is not commensurate with their abilities. The alliance had a large amount of anecdotal evidence to support its contention that people were being forced off the dole to accept jobs, Mr Duffy said.
A solicitor for the Free Legal Advice Centres, Ms Maureen Maguire, said the Government may also be in breach of Article 40.3.1 of the Constitution. Both domestic and international human rights instruments "provide that the right to work includes the right of everyone to have the opportunity to gain his or her living by work freely chosen or accepted".
The alliance has until November to prepare its case for the ILO's committee of experts.
This year's employment plan has been welcomed by the Irish Business and Employers' Confederation. The Labour spokesman on enterprise, trade and employment, Mr Pat Rabbitte, said it needed more specific commitments on funding.