State job scheme numbers fall short of target

The Government fell well short of the 3,000 target it had set for the number of people it hoped to place on its “Gateway” job-activation scheme by the end of 2014.

As of December 12, just 1,700 people had taken up places on the scheme which has now been running for almost two years.

Under the terms of the Gateway initiative, dole claimants who have been on the Live Register for more than two years are paid an extra €20 per week on top of their jobseeker’s allowance to work for city and county councils.