THE Government is being urged to end its embargo on recruitment of local council staff and call a halt to the Gateway scheme.
Fingal County Council confirmed to Northside People that it currently has 97 Gateway participants who are engaged in General Operative category work at a number of locations throughout the county.
“We have three Jobsbridge participants currently working in IT Tech Support, Digital & Social Media Co-ordinator and Primary School Sports Co-ordinator,
? a spokeswoman for the council said.
“None of the people are working in positions formerly held by regular council workers.
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Paul Mulville, an Independent councillor for the Swords local electoral area (LEA), said the figures underline the urgent need for the Government to end the recruitment embargo and allow the council to take on more staff.
“This scheme gives people only
?¬20 a week on top of their social welfare payment,
? Cllr Mulville said.
“People currently on the Gateway scheme should be given a priority for employment so that they can be taken on a full-time basis and to ensure that they can earn a proper wage and have a properly paid job.
“This is not only important in terms of workers’ own dignity and respect, but also to ensure that people can spend in the economy.
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Cllr Mulville believes the Gateway and Jobsbridge schemes are not only leading to wide-scale exploitation of workers, but are also undermining the wage structure of the economy and putting huge pressure on the terms and conditions of current and future employees.
“We must see an end to these schemes and instead the Government must place an obligation on both public and private sector employers to take on staff on a full-time basis and on proper wages,
? he added.
“People must be entitled to a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.
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A spokeswoman for the Department of Social Protection said the objective of Gateway is to improve the employability and maintain the work readiness of jobseekers unemployed for two years or more.
“Gateway provides short-term work opportunities with the objective of bridging the gap between unemployment and re-entering the workforce,
? she told Northside People.
“By participating in the schemes, participants should be more
‘job-ready’ and have a better chance of obtaining a job after completing 22 months’ work placement.
“Gateway is building on previous very positive employment support initiatives using the quality working environment, resources and opportunities available to county and city councils.
“It is not the objective of such schemes that the participants should get employment with the host organisation but that, by participating in the schemes, they should be more
‘job-ready’ and secure employment either with the host or another organisation.
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She said there are now over 1,000 participants on the scheme compared to less than 700 at the start of September.
“Some local authorities have now almost filled their quota and more hope to have reached their target by year end,
? the spokeswoman added.