THE Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, has warned that a balance must be struck between addressing taxation and tackling long term unemployment in any new national wage agreement.
Demanding that four specific measures be delivered for the long term unemployed, Mr Ahern said yesterday that in any democratic, socially conscious society, the advancement of the "haves" could not be at the cost of the "have nots".
Real and significant tax reduction "is and will continue to be at the top of the Fianna Fail economic agenda. However the plight of the long term unemployed who make up an ever growing percentage of the live register, cannot be forgotten", Mr Ahern said.
The measures put forward include six monthly targets for the reduction of the number of long term unemployed. Such targets would keep the problem "constantly in focus". Secondly, Mr Ahern said the Local Employment Service, now operating in 12 "area partnerships", should be extended nationwide in an effort to identify job opportunities and training requirements.
Thirdly, he called for the immediate introduction of quarterly Labour Force Surveys. The survey is now conducted once a year and "is out of date by the time it is published".
He also proposed a Minister for employment, to have responsibility for all employment and enterprise matters, and the consolidation of State enterprise agencies.
There were eight Ministers and Ministers of State in the present Government with responsibility for different employment and enterprise measures, while almost 200 different agencies were offering advice on the issue.