The Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed has called on the Government to state what will happen to 1,000 people on Community Employment schemes due to end by December. The three-year programme, called the Work Training Jobs Initiative (WTJI,) is aimed at older "hard-core" unemployed people and currently employs 2,875.
The Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Ms Harney, received Cabinet approval last July to cut Community Employment (CE) placements by 4,500. The cuts are due to be implemented next year.
Earlier this week an evaluation report on an initiative scheme in Dublin's north inner city was critical of the lack of a "bridge" component to ensure participants transferred to the mainstream labour market in the third and final year.
The INOU has urged the Government to publish its own review of the programme. It was "vital that the Government moves promptly" to ensure that the 1,000 people whose placements are ending do not find themselves back on the dole. The organisation is also calling for the maintenance of WTJI placements at the current level and a commitment from the Government that new participants will be able to complete their programme.
The INOU says that workers completing courses and ready to progress to the open labour market should be given active support and guidance to do so. For those not ready, two-year extensions should be approved.
Meanwhile, following a three-year campaign by the INOU, the guidelines for unemployed medical card-holders starting work have been revised.