Target to Eliminate Long-term Unemployment gone!

21 Feb 2007

Today the Government launched the National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007 –2016. So what has it to say about unemployment?

Under Goal 5 entitled ‘Employment and Participation’ it says: “Introduce an active case management approach that will support those on long-term social welfare into education, training and employment. The target is to support 50,000 such people, including lone parents and the long-term unemployed, with an overall aim of reducing by 20% the number of those whose total income is derived from long-term social welfare payments by 2016. This target will be reviewed in the light of experience;”

The INOU welcomes the recognition in the Government’s own press release of the “supporting good quality employment” and “the continuing challenges faced by those in work but on low incomes, as well as the vulnerability of those in households without any employment.”

However, the organisation is concerned at the loss of the long-standing NAPS target to eliminate long-term unemployment by 2007. Though significant strides have been made in reducing unemployment, long-term unemployment represents approximately 30% of unemployment at present.

The INOU is also concerned that the target set in the new Goal will not have as significant an impact on either unemployed people or lone parents when one considers that there currently over 100,000 people between these two groups. How will the achievement of the target be assessed over the ten-year period? Will it be broken down into annual targets? And will the State increase the target should unemployment rise over the ten-year period?

ENDS

For further information contact:
Bríd O’Brien, INOU Senior Policy Officer: 01 8560088