27/06/2001

LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYMENT STILL A PROBLEM

DR Sean Farren, Minister for Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment, has said that despite recent economic progress there were still too many people caught in a trap of long-term unemployment.

Addressing the annual conference of the Organisation of Unemployed Northern Ireland (OUNI) in Belfast on Wednesday the Minister revealed that one third of the current unemployed population were presently classed as ‘long term’ unemployed.

However, in tackling these issues, the Minister, who chairs the Executive’s Taskforce on Employability and Long Term Unemployed, said his Taskforce would be action oriented and would aim to produce an Action Plan by Spring 2002.

He said: "The focus of the Taskforce is to drive forward realistic and practical initiatives to improve employability and tackle long-term unemployment and to prepare an Action Plan which integrates actions across Government Departments and agencies by 31 March 2002.

“We are at the early stages of our work but we have set ourselves an ambitious timeframe. I am determined that the taskforce will be action oriented and I am confident that we can make a difference." (MB)

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