The proposed new partnership programme has received the backing of the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed.
Delegates voted yesterday at a special INOU conference in favour of "qualified acceptance" of the programme, which has received a mixed response from the community and voluntary sector.
Mr Eric Conroy, the INOU general secretary, said it contained no "clear specific actions" or resources to address the needs of the unemployed. It did, however, contain processes and mechanisms which could be used to address the issues of unemployment and poverty.
"Of particular interest to us is the achievement of the National Anti-Poverty Strategy targets to eliminate long-term unemployment by 2007 and to set the lowest social welfare rate at €150 in 2002 terms," he said.
"Failure to make concrete moves towards the attainment of these targets raises questions about the Government's commitment to the social partnership process."