INOU National Employment Action Plan Conference

19 Oct 2004

Wednesday 20th October 2004

Croke Park, Hogan Mezzanine Suite, Dublin 1.

9.30 – 1.30pm

Opening Address by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mr Michéal Martin

Keynote Speaker, Mr Robert Strauss, EU Commission

This Conference examines how the National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) can deliver to unemployed people. Under the European Employment Guidelines, each member state of the EU has to do a yearly NEAP covering many areas of employment policies. The NEAP is geared towards those trying to access the labour market as well as improving the conditions for those in employment.

‘We are delighted to have the new Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr Michéal Martin opening this conference as it raises the profile of the NEAP onto a political level. Currently the creation of the NEAP is largely administrative and to give it further impetus to ensure full implementation it needs to be on the political agenda’, said Mr Eric Conroy, General Secretary INOU. ‘As a social partner, the INOU has played a role in the formulation of Ireland’s plan by providing submissions and critiques. However, more intensive consultation and involvement with social partners and others is needed if the recommendation of the European Employment Guidelines to ‘mobalise all local actors’ in the implementation of the NEAP is to be achieved.’

Coincidentally, a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise and Small Businesses is also hearing a presentation from a number of agencies from the Community and Voluntary sector on the NEAP. This presentation was called for by these agencies including the INOU in an effort to raise the profile of the NEAP among TD’s.