€20m war chest aims to get 6,500 back to work

UP TO 6,500 people who have been on dole queues for a long time are to targeted in a €20 million bid to tackle unemployment.

The Labour Market Activation Fund will be available to the Department of Social Protection as part of a seven-step plan the Government believes can be delivered over a number of years.

This strategy has set out specific goals which aim to help Irish start-up companies, improve competitiveness, attract greater investment from overseas and develop community-based schemes.