Plan Aimed At Getting 75,000 Long-Term Unemployed People Back To Work Unveiled Later.

Monday, 12 July 2021 09:27

File image: Minister Heather Humphreys/RollingNews

The 'Pathways to Work Strategy' contains 83 commitments,

A new plan aimed at getting 75,000 long term unemployed back to work over the next 2 years is set to be announced by government today.

The 'Pathways to Work Strategy' contains 83 commitments, and includes the aim of reducing youth unemployment from 44 to 12.5 percent over the period.

Among its measures is a 1,000 euro grant for people who've been out of work for more than a year, if they complete a short training course.

Jobseekers Allowance is also set to be revamped under the plan, which is to cost an estimated 350 million euro

Dole recipients will be offered €1,000 to go on training courses https://t.co/k8IthMAoFl
— Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) July 12, 2021

At the launch on Monday afternoon, it emerged that proposed changes to increase jobseekers benefit will likely take a number of years to come into force.

The Government is working on plans to link jobseekers to someone's salary before they lost their job, rather than a flat rate.

It's included in a new plan that aims to get 75,000 long term unemployed people back into work by 2023.

Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys has suggested the welfare changes are still a number of years away

Minister Humphreys says new rates would likely be higher than the current jobseekers benefit

Pleased to launch the #PathwaysToWork strategy in Dundalk – an ambitious plan to;

➡️Get 75,000 long-term unemployed working by 2023.
➡️Reduce youth unemployment to 12.5%
➡️Provide 50k further education & training places, 10k apprenticeships.
➡️Provide 10k paid work placements. https://t.co/UCWrXUiHBw
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) July 12, 2021