Phil Hogan
Question:39 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the implications, if any, for policy to be drawn from the latest figures for the age by duration analysis of persons out of work.
Written Answers. - Persons Out of Work Analysis.
The series referred to by the Deputy are published twice a year and relate to the six month periods end-April and October. The last publication relates to the six months up to end-October 1992, and show that some 44 per cent of the total on the Live Register had been unemployed for a year or more at that date.
Tackling unemployment is the number one objective of this Government and the policy response of Government to current unemployment is as set out in the Programme for a Partnership Government. That includes many measures to both encourage and support enterprise; to expand and develop the skills base of the workforce; to encourage local initiative through regional structures for enterprise; and to implement the wide-ranging changes recommended by both the Culliton Group and by the "Moriarty" Task Force on the implementation of the Culliton report. In this regard the Government has set out in detail its proposals for the systematic reform of enterprise support and development in its response to the Moriarty Task Force, "Employment Through Enterprise". The Finance Act also contains many provisions designed to stimulate enterprise and investment in enterprise.