Outrage at decision to cutback JI scheme

13 Aug 2003

The Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed strongly condemns a decision by FÁS to make many Jobs Initiative (JI) workers face the bleak prospects of the dole within the next 2 months.

‘The decision to finish JI workers contracts in mid-October is a very short-sighted one because a saving in one Department will lead to further spending in another because some of these participants will go back on the dole’, says June Tinsley, Policy Officer, INOU. ‘It is unacceptable that people who were unemployed for five years or more prior to going on the scheme should now face redundancy. With the number of job losses rising weekly – where will these workers get jobs?’

This action has caused outrage amongst the managing agents, sponsors and the workers themselves and will result in a severe loss of valuable community services.

‘This decision and the way FÁS is implementing it is a complete shambles’, said Ms Tinsley. ‘There has been no regard for the JI workers, the services they provide or the communities those services are delivered to’.

These JI workers who are being affected will be referred to the employment services (FÁS and the Local Employment Service) to assist them to progress into the open labour market. They will also be invited to participate in the High Supports Process which is aimed at assisting people overcome personal employability difficulties. However, there is huge ambiguity over the form this process will take as it is only being rolled out now.

‘This High Supports Process is vague and inadequate, as there is no guarantee that the participant will progress into the labour market’ said Ms Tinsley. ‘By pursuing this action, the Government is reneging on another earlier commitment that no JI worker would return to the dole’.