Well apparently it is not as easy as that and so when the minister for social protection Eamon O Cuiv announced this week that there were plans in the pipeline to get people to work for their dole money in the future — well let’s just say it wasn’t greeted with rapturous applause by one and all.
One would think it is a reasonable enough suggestion, but when you get down to the nitty gritty, in fact it is not all that straight-forward.
It’s planned that some 10,000 unemployed people will be required to work 19.5 hours a week by helping out with social schemes such as after school projects, community work and environmental projects in turn for receiving their €210 dole. If a person fails to show up for work or refuses to partake in the scheme they can be struck off the dole. It will be run as a trial initially over coming months and people picked to take part will be obliged to do so unless they have a pretty good reason not to.
Listening to the minister on Prime Time this week it was clear that the measure is one that is being introduced in order to catch fraudulent applications.
The numbers of people working while on the dole is immense and the country needs every cent of taxpayer’s money to go towards services at this time, rather than paying people who are already working. However, all of us know that this activity is ongoing and if this measure will prevent some of that — well it can only be a good thing.
But workers’ unions are not impressed and it does lead to questions regarding payment for work. If schemes are getting people from social employment schemes to do the work for €210, then why would they employ someone else to do the same job when it would certainly cost more in wages? The scheme could be seen to be simply adding to the dole queues by creating unemployment.
The initiative prompts questions regarding the mandatory minimum wage, as if you can get a social employment scheme employee to do the job for €210 then why pay somebody else the going rate?
All of these are valid concerns and the nuts and bolts of this scheme really do need to be ironed out before it is introduced.
Of course there are many who see the scheme as a positive one and a welcome means back into the workforce after a lengthy period out of the working scene. This can be a very daunting task for those returning to work after a long time and this scheme will come as an easy introduction to the workplace.
The scheme will see people upskilling and using the skills they already have and keeping them in date.
There are thousands of schemes across the country that could benefit from this initiative and I for one would welcome it in its truest form. If it can keep people trained and informed and occupied while they are out of work, it can only be a positive thing. However, the posts need to be limited to a schemes where there are no ‘real job’ positions available and with no potential for a salaried position in the near future or otherwise it will only contribute to the dole queues.
Discussions with union bosses and community development worker managers should crystallise how this scheme can work in a positive manner for unemployed people and for the community schemes concerned. It has to be done in a reasonable manner — there is no sense in having a person with addiction problems for example, working in a childcare facility as this would not be appropriate, but once the boundaries are established, this could be one of the more positive initiatives announced by the government in recent times.
