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NEW FIGURES FROM the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that more than 57,000 people are now taking part in government back-to-work programmes.
The figures show a 15 per cent increase in numbers taking part in the schemes for the long term unemployed (over 12 months) such as JobBridge, community employment schemes and FAS training programmes.
Some 12,217 long term unemployed people were registered for the back to work allowance schemes and short-term enterprise allowance schemes in August 2012, an increase of around 500 from the same month last year.
There has also been an increase of over 7,000 in people taking part in back to education schemes in August compared to the same month last year.
The Department of Social Protection said the schemes will continue to be monitored in order to ensure that they continue to meet the objectives.
It said the next step in the government’s plan is to build on this progress with the wider economic reforms needed to accelerate jobs growth and get the country working again.
The Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association (ISME) yesterday criticised the government over the CSO figures which also revealed Ireland’s unemployment rate remained at 14.8 per cent with long-term unemployment standing at 45 per cent of the total.
Chief Executive of ISME, Mark Fielding, said “the numbers speak for themselves – this government is clearly failing in its efforts to tackle the jobs crisis, and no amount of long-fingered promises of multinational jobs tomorrow will satisfy the crying need for local jobs today.”
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How about the govt reduce the min wage for under 21s and allow them to get a work ethic even if it is a t a lower wage.. better than handing 200 a week for nothing and starting them off in the wrong direction.
Reduce the minimum wage? What are you talking about? Madness
good idea, reduce it for under 21s, get them working in bars, chippers, nightclubs restaurants etc the jobs that non nationals are willing to do at the wend instead of spending their dole money on getting plastered….
reduce dole money for under 21s that should have been, I’m not in favor of reducing the minimum wage.
Young unemployed get a reduced unemployment rate of €100 per week
100 euro more than I ever availed of as a young lad and that’s not too long ago. there is no excuse for a teenager of dole age availing of it. there is work out there, is not the most glamorous work in the world by any means and it may involve getting your hands dirty but it’s better than playing computer games and pissing it away on beer…
My wage is what keeps me in college, if it was lower, I’d just have mor incentive to jump on to the dole,
..you have got to be trolling, because this is a horrible idea.
@Scattered Showers
In complete agreement with you. 8.65 an hour is about as low as you could go given the cost of living in this country. Moronic suggestion by someone who clearly doesnt work for the minimum wage
And from what I have seen its not the under 21′s who have the worst work ethic. Its the people who have been on long term unemployment 3+years.
As far as I can see the you people of this country are the most eagar to be working of the unemployed.
So the figure for people unemployed is really 500, 000 this is a disgrace. Imagine if 1,200 people a week were not leaving to find work.
The Short Term Enterprise scheme is a great idea. I used it in 2011 to set up my own businesses when I lost my job. My accountant just gave me my figures for this years October 31st deadline and I will be paying over 10,000 euro in tax this year. The scheme pays for itself very quickly.
FartBox, so we should all be going around in our bare feet, pissing in outdoor toilets, having a bath once a week…we have moved on from that crap, kids these days are better educated and guess what, they expect that to be reflected in their jobs due to the effort they gave put in!!!!! I can’t say I blame them, that’s the story they have been fed!
then they need to wake up and smell the coffee… life is tough, you won’t get things handed to you on a plate… get out there and get a job even if it is a job you consider beneath you…
I think all them back to work schemes are cheap labour.Remember FAS that ment find a sucker and all the head boys and girls fiddling millions out of it.
@scatterd showers if you under 21 you inly get 100euro on the dole so your comment is so stupid get your facts right before writing stupid comments
needs to be reduced further…
I agree the dole should be reduced(for all), but under 21 cuts are crazy.
under 21s should be doing the shit jobs I did as a 21 year old. work in a bar at weekends collect glass, clean nightclubs, work in chippers etc… I don’t know when I last seen an Irish you lad or girl last collecting glass in a pub in Dublin. it’s a joke…. No contribution what so ever… go into iskanders for a kebab and tell me how many young Irish you see… go into any pub in temple bar and count the number of young Irish collecting glass or taking in coats… it’s gone beyond a joke… work ethos of young people in Ireland is a joke.
I availed of the back to work scheme in march of this year, seven months on as an electrical contractor and am very busy, it’s a great idea and anyone who can should give it a go. if only the government could stop the cowboys and dole cheats out pricing the contractors.
@ Fatbox . My daughter worked part time in bars to help put herself through college as her father had passed away. She worked lousy hours and still managed to get a honours degree and a masters . In two weeks time she and her four friends will be emigrating in order to get any kind of work. Don
She is a credit to you Mary, there are some young people that will go out there and fight for work rather than availing of the dole. these jobs are sometimes not ones that require much experience or are related to their field of expertise. I believe and always have that working and contributing no matter what kind of work you get is better than getting the dole. if only there were more like your daughter.
And just one more point to the electrician who posted fair play to you , but the government should be pushing for young ppl to be working with ppl like you for to be learn a trade , and make it tax and PRSi free at no cost to you let them have there 100 dole and learn a trade at the same time . There would be a lot of them would jump at the Chance
thanks finbar, I have a cousin who is desperate or an apprenticeship, I bring him with me any day I can teach him anything, have rang every employer he has applied to, to recommend him, fantastic worker, very eager to learn but I honestly can’t afford to pay him. 22 euro an hour I charge and I still can’t afford to make ends meet. thank god for the back to work allowance, it pays my rent and phone bill. he the government could bring in any kind of scheme to help I could give him the experience to get him the start in life he deserves
They are forced into these schemes.The sad thing about all this is the job they land in is underpaid.
Have to agree there Mary , in the boom time I took one or two friends sons to my job ( I drive heavy plant ) my employers were not happy about it , one of these lads is in Australia working now and doing very well , there is not a big push for employers to hire young ppl who are not going on to collage , we as a ppl should be training the youth as it has been done before in the past , I don’t think the Irish young are lazy I think they are just not giving the chance
My point is not just about my daughter. All her friends helped to support themselves by working part time. There is a lot of good in young people but it is only the negative that gets the press.
Yes Caroline some big company’s are using them , but there is no push from the government to find good apprenticeships for them .For a young person to be trained by a trades person one on one is a great learning chance
For a young person yes but for a mature worker alteady skilled in his job??????Forced into a lesser job with low pay ???
Kieran that’s my point , I know a lot of young lad will to work for little or nothing just to have a trade , in 20/30 year when I’m too old to work who is going to do my job if nobody is getting trained ,, iv been saying this for years , will look to other country to import there youth ,it’s not right
i think everyone should have to enrol in a course or back to work scheme after 6months on the dole if they are to keep their payments. that way they would continue to self develop and not be left to rot. those who really want to get off social welfare should be eager to do a course which would give them new skills. also any able bodied persin taking home more than 300 euro per week on state benifits should be put to work in a volunteer capacity 20hrs pw for the betterment of their local community.
How ironic just downloaded the jobcentre plus app and it doesn’t work……….
oops…alreay…sorry
already
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