asked the Minister for Labour if a person who is unemployed for more than 12 months and who is not in receipt of unemployment assistance will qualify for the social employment scheme; and, if not, the reason for such exclusion.
Written Answers. - Social Employment Scheme.
707.
As indicated in Building on Reality 1985-1987, the social employment scheme is aimed at the large number of productive and energetic persons who have been unemployed for an extended period.
In order to give effect to this objective, it was decided that applicants should be unemployed for a period of 12 months or more and be in receipt of unemployment assistance at the time of entry. In addition, applicants have generally to be over 25 years of age. Since about 56,500 persons meet these conditions, there is no shortage of potential participants.
In deciding the conditions for eligibility, the Government were also influenced by the consideration that almost two-thirds of the gross cost of the scheme will come back to the Exchequer through savings in unemployment payments and additional tax revenue. This consideration is referred to in Building on Reality 1985-1987.
I should add that the 12 months qualification period may consist of one continuous period where applicants were in receipt of unemployment assistance, or of a combination of periods where applicants were in receipt of unemployment benefit and unemployment assistance or disability benefit, or attended training courses organised by AnCO, CERT or IMI. Applicants at the time of entry to the scheme must, however, be in receipt of unemployment assistance.