Every individual is entitled to be supported and assisted in their attempts to re-enter the labour market, meaning it is important not to "write people off," the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr Martin, told a conference in Dublin yesterday.
Speaking at the opening of a conference organised by the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed (INOU), Mr Martin said he was anxious to ensure that training and support would continue to be provided to "avoid the fatalistic notion that certain people can't be helped back into employment."
Community Employment (CE) schemes, which are currently under review by his Department, were originally conceived as a means of encouraging individuals back into the labour market, he said.
But he also indicated that they were "here to stay."
Mr Martin said there was a need to provide training for low-skill workers.
While most economists predicted that employment would continue to grow at an annual rate of 2 per cent up until 2010, this presented other challenges.
"It is estimated that an inflow of over 300,000 people will be required in the decade up to 2010 in order to meet this level of growth and as replacement for those leaving the labour market," Mr Martin said.
"Our ability to achieve this will be challenged by the low rate of unemployment and the decline in our youth population. There will, therefore, be a major requirement to mobilise labour from all sources," he said.