The assumption that most people on the Live Register are unemployable has been found not to be the case, the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Mr Ahern, said yesterday.
A new ESRI report cites age discrimination, lack of education and skills, drug addiction, literacy problems, childcare and transport as reasons for long-term unemployment.
But, introducing the report yesterday, the Minister said it showed that the interaction of FAS and his Department was capable of helping the vast majority of unemployed find work or training.
"Overall, the report presents a more positive picture than some might have expected," he said.
The report, by ESRI senior research officer Mr Alan Barrett and research professors Christopher Whelan and J.J. Sexton, stated that in September 2000, there were more than 140,000 on the Live Register and they wanted to find out the reason at a time of full employment.
The report concluded: "Those who suffered reduced levels of employability, as we had defined it, tended to be older, female, to have had limited previous attachment to the labour market and low levels of education, and to live in rural areas."
The report showed figures for those aged under 25 reaching six months on the Live Register at the end of December 1999. The number leaving the Live Register was 12,805, which was 78.1 per cent. The number interviewed was 9,979 and, of these, 53 per cent were placed in jobs or training.
Mr Barrett said: "All-in-all, the picture that is emerging is a positive one, that it is possible to move people into employment. It suggests that the notion of a core of very unemployable people is a small enough group."