http___www.welfare.ie_ga_Pages_Annual-Report-2011.aspx_1.xml
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Foreword from the Minister The old Irish adage "Tús maith – leath na hoibre" tells us that a good start is half the work. I welcome this first report on the Department’s Statement of Strategy 2011–2014. The report documents many new initiatives in addition to existing schemes and services. I also welcome staff who joined the Department with the Redundancy and Insolvency payments schemes from the former Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, staff of the former Community Welfare Service who were formally integrated into the Department in 2011 and former FÁS staff who joined the Department in January this year. Earlier this year, the government announced the Pathways to Work initiative. This puts the needs of our unemployed people at the heart of the services the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection delivers. We are integrating the provision of employment services and benefit payment services within the Department to ensure that the payment of income supports to people who do not have a job is directly linked to the equally, if not more important, task of supporting them in finding a job, education or training. A key part of this service is the Employment Action Plan, under which some 16,000 unemployed people were placed in employment, training or education in 2011. The Department also helped almost 11,000 people through the Back to Work Enterprise Scheme. That is an increase of 35% on 2010 The Department also provides education and training supports which also help move people from welfare to work. In 2010/2011, some 25,000 people availed of the Back to Education Allowance. This was an increase of 20.3% over the previous academic year. Over 85% of the people who availed of the schemes were previously unemployed. Being unemployed can lead to great strain in families and cause intergenerational welfare dependency. Our Activation and Family Support Programme provides funding for initiatives to help people become more employable. In 2011, almost 9,000 people received education, training and personal development opportunities funded by this programme. I am particularly pleased with the success of JobBridge, the national internship scheme I launched in 2011 which provided 5,000 internship opportunities to unemployed people. These internship places are open to jobseekers who were unable to obtain employment after training, apprenticeship or graduation. The aim of JobBridge is to help bridge the gap between unemployment and the world of work. Finally, I would like to thank the staff in the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection for their help with the reform programme. Change is not always easy, but I believe that our work together in 2011 represents a key step on the road to securing our country’s economic recovery. Joan Burton T.D. Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection
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Brollach ón Aire Insíonn an seanfhocal Gaeilge “Tús maith, leath na hoibre” dúinn go bhfuil tábhacht le tosú go maith. Cuirim fáilte roimh an gcéad tuarascáil seo ar Ráiteas Straitéise na Roinne, 2011 - 2014. Déanann an tuarascáil cur síos ar chuid maith tionscnamh nua, agus ar na scéimeanna agus na seirbhísí atá ann cheana. Cuirimse fáilte chomh maith roimh an bhfoireann a tháinig isteach sa Roinn leis na scéimeanna íocaíochtaí Iomarcaíochta agus Dócmhainneachta ón Roinn Fiontraíochta, Trádála agus Nuálaíochta a bhí ann roimhe seo, foireann den iar-Sheirbhís Leasa Pobail a cuimsíodh go foirmiúil sa Roinn i rith 2011 agus iar-fhoireann de chuid FÁS a tháinig isteach sa Roinn in Eanáir na bliana seo. D'fhógair an rialtas tionscnamh na gConairí chun Oibre tamall ó shin i mbliana. Cuireann sé seo riachtanais daoine dífhostaithe ag croílár na seirbhísí a sholáthraíonn an Roinn Coimirce Sóisialaí. Táimid ag comhtháthú soláthar seirbhísí fostaíochta agus seirbhísí íocaíochta sochar taobh istigh den Roinn, le cinntiú go mbíonn íocaíocht tacaí ioncaim le daoine nach bhfuil post acu ceangailte go díreach le tacú leo post, oideachas nó oiliúint a fháil, gnéithe atá díreach chomh tábhachtach nó a d'fhéadfadh a bheith níos tábhachtaí fiú. Cuid ríthábhachtach den tseirbhís seo ná an Plean Gníomhaíochta Fostaíochta, faoinar cuireadh fostaíocht, oiliúint nó oideachas ar fáil do thuairim is 16,000 duine i rith 2011. Chabhraigh an Roinn chomh maith le beagnach 11,000 duine tríd an Scéim Fiontraíochta um Fhilleadh ar Obair. Sin méadú 35% i gcomparáid le 2010. Anuas air sin, soláthraíonn an Roinn tacaí oideachais agus oiliúna a chabhraíonn le daoine chomh maith aistriú ó spleáchas ar leas sóisialach go bheith ag obair. Bhain thart ar 25,000 duine leas as an Liúntas um Fhilleadh ar Oideachas i rith 2010/2011. Ba mhéadú 20.3% é seo i gcomparáid leis an mbliain acadúil roimhe sin. Bhí breis is 85% de na daoine a bhain leas as na scéimeanna dífhostaithe roimhe sin. D'fhéadfadh dífhostaíocht brú mór a chur ar theaghlaigh agus spleáchas ó ghlúin go glúin ar leas sóisialach a chruthú chomh maith. Soláthraíonn ár gClár Gníomhachtaithe agus Tacaíochta Teaghlaigh maoiniú do thionscnaimh, le cabhrú le daoine a bheith níos infhostaithe. Sa bhliain 2011, fuair beagnach 9,000 duine deiseanna oideachais, oiliúna agus forbartha pearsanta a maoiníodh leis an gclár seo. Tá mé thar a bheith sásta leis an rath atá ar JobBridge, an scéim náisiúnta intéirneachta a sheol mé i rith 2011, rud a sholáthair 5,000 deis intéirneachta do dhaoine dífhostaithe. Tá na spásanna intéirneachta seo ar oscailt do lucht cuardaigh fostaíochta nach bhfuil in ann post a fháil tar éis dóibh dul faoi oiliúint, printíseacht a chríochnú nó céimniú a bhaint amach. Is é aidhm JobBridge ná cabhrú leis an mbearna a dhúnadh idir an dífhostaíocht agus saol na hoibre. Mar fhocal scoir, ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an bhfoireann sa Roinn Coimirce Sóisialaí as a gcúnamh leis an gclár athchóirithe. Ní bhíonn an t-athrú éasca go minic, ach creidim gurb ionann an obair atá déanta againn le chéile i rith 2011 agus céim ríthábhachtach ar an mbóthar i dtreo téarnamh eacnamaíoch ár dtíre a bhaint amach. Joan Burton T.D. An tAire Coimirce Sóisialaí