A GOVERNMENT scheme to target the most marginalised group among the long term unemployed has been introduced in Dublin. It is aimed at people aged over 35 who have been unemployed for at least five years.
Announcing details of the scheme in one of Dublin's most deprived areas, Coolock Darndale, the Minister for Enterprise and Employment, Mr Bruton, said yesterday it showed the Government's commitment to tackling unemployment.
The scheme was one of the major recommendations of the Task Force on Unemployment, which made its final report to the Government earlier this year.
The job initiative is a pilot programme limited to 1,000 places and will operate in areas of Cork, Limerick and Dublin. Apart from Coolock Darndale, the other Dublin areas selected are Finglas Cabra, Ballymun, the inner city and Tallaght.
Voluntary and statutory organisations in these areas can apply to become managing agents and employ people in the category most at risk of never working again middle aged, poorly qualified people who have not worked for many years. The jobs will be in areas such as landscaping, office work, care taking, energy conservation, maintenance and child care.
The minimum number of jobs to qualify for funding is 15, and participants will retain secondary welfare benefits. Where applicable (mainly in the case of participants with dependants) they will also qualify for Family Income Supplement.
The scheme is funded through FAS. People employed will be paid the "going rate" so that their employment will not displace workers already employed in these sectors. They will be guaranteed at least three years' work and contracts will be renewable although the aim is to help participants re-enter the mainstream labour market.
Mr Bruton said he was confident it would "not alone provide quality full time opportunities for long term unemployed people but will also be of significant benefit to local communities in their efforts to improve their quality of
The chairman of FAS, Mr Christy Kirwan, welcomed the initiative and said his organisation was "delighted to take on the challenge of managing this pilot programme". He paid tribute to the Area Partnership Companies in the pilot areas and said that recruitment to the job initiative would be co-ordinated by the Local Employment Service.