Ministers move to refocus Harney plan

A concerted effort has been made by the Government to defuse any difficulties arising from the manner of the Tanaiste's announcement that certain people would be "cut off" from Social Welfare payments if they refused offers of work or training.

In a damage-limitation exercise, the Taoiseach, the Minister for Community and Family Affairs and the Tanaiste herself strongly claimed that the initiative for those under 25 and people unemployed for more than a year was Government policy. They set out to soften the presentation of the proposals by insisting that claimants would be subject to a review, rather than automatic cut-off.

The three Government members, Mr Ahern, Mr Dermot Ahern and Ms Harney, also demonstrated that the initiative was merely an extension of a scheme for 18- and 19-year-olds introduced by the former minister, Mr Proinsias De Rossa, in 1996.

The Government bid to refocus the employment initiative yesterday followed Fianna Fail and Opposition criticisms of Ms Harney's announcement that it was wrong that so many people could refuse reasonable offers of work and training and still remain on the live register.

She added that those under 25 would be offered work, training or work experience once they were six months unemployed.

"If they refuse that, they will be cut off, and adults who have crossed the 12-month threshold will be cut off if they refuse", Ms Harney said. This new policy would be implemented rigorously, beginning in September.

She told RTE's Morning Ireland yesterday the new approach would involve a person under 25, who was six months unemployed, being offered an interview.

"We will discuss what your needs are, what your skills are, what your ambitions are. You may be offered training, you may be offered work experience, you may be offered community employment", she added.

She said claimants would not end up with less money than they received on social welfare.

Responding to questions from the former minister, Mr De Rossa, in the Dail, the Taoiseach said: "I did not hear anybody talk about coercion".

Mr De Rossa later welcomed Mr Ahern's assurance that there would be no change in the Social Welfare Act to allow unemployed people to be denied social welfare payments. The Taoiseach had implicitly rebuked the Tanaiste and rejected the "big stick" approach advocated by the PD leader on Wednesday, he said.

Condemning the Government's refusal to allow a Dail debate on the Tanaiste's "plans to introduce workfare", the Labour spokesman, Mr Tommy Broughan, said his party supported genuine efforts to assist people back into work, "but we are not in favour of the specific targeting of the most vulnerable people in our society".