Number of jobseekers not engaging with employment services exceeds 2023 figures

The committee heard there are particular groups that are over-represented in the unemployment figures. This includes members of the Travelling community, people with disabilities, lone parents and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. File picture: Denis Minihane

The number of jobseekers penalised for not engaging with employment services or not taking up offers of employment so far this year has already outstripped all of 2023, an Oireachtas committee has heard.

Fine Gael TD for Cork East David Stanton said he had received figures from the Department of Social Protection to indicate there had been over 7,200 such cases so far this year, ahead of around 5,000 for all of last year.

“At a time when employers are frustrated trying to get people, people are out there refusing jobs and refusing to work,” he said.

The Oireachtas Enterprise Committee on Wednesday held a meeting about unemployment blackspots around the country, with contributions from Social Justice Ireland and the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed. The committee heard while Ireland currently enjoys high levels of employment, there are particular groups that are over-represented in the unemployment figures.

This includes members of the Travelling community, people with disabilities, lone parents and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Geographically, there are more unemployed people on average in areas such as the border, midlands, mid-west and south-west regions, the committee heard.

Addressing the point raised by Mr Stanton, Bríd O’Brien, the head of policy at the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed, said for all the employers who say they can’t get employees, there are also people saying they can’t get employers to hire them.

She also said in comparison to the number of people on the Live Register, which stood at over 166,000 in August, the figure quoted by Mr Stanton was a “small fraction” of the overall figure. Ms O’Brien said there are potential pitfalls for some people around what entitlements they may lose if they take up what might be precarious work.

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Marginalised groups

The committee also heard that people in marginalised groups, such as members of the Travelling community, have felt the need to “hide their identity” in order to get a job. Ms O'Brien said equality legislation is “not a panacea” in the labour market.

“The issue of discrimination is a reality in our labour market,” she said. “We tend to sidestep it or not want to discuss it. But it is an issue.” 

In terms of people with disabilities, the committee heard Ireland has a far lower rate of labour force participation among people with a disability compared to other EU countries.

Susanne Rogers, research and policy analyst at Social Justice Ireland, cited one example where she had recently visited a local authority where there were concerns the lift in the building wouldn’t accommodate a wheelchair user.

Ms Rogers said Government and policymakers should take a number of steps to address long-term unemployment, even if it is among a small cohort of the population.

“They should establish a new programme targeting those who are very long-term unemployed, in particular those who have been unemployed for over five years,” she said.

“They need to reduce the impediments faced by people with disabilities in achieving employment and, in particular, address the current situation in which many face losing their benefits when they take up employment.”