Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 April 2026
32. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people currently recorded as long-term unemployed; the measures in place to support their return to sustainable and secure employment, and the further actions to reduce long-term unemployment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30764/26]
View answerAccording to the latest CSO figures, there were 36,200 people recorded as long-term unemployed in Q4 2025. My Department supports long-term unemployed jobseekers to enter employment through a number of programmes and supports.
My Department, through its Intreo network and employment services staff, engages intensively with young jobseekers, supporting and profiling them on their likelihood of entering employment. Those deemed at higher risk of becoming long-term unemployed benefit from more frequent engagement with their Employment Personal Advisor/Job Coach. This approach seeks to minimise younger jobseekers from falling into long-term unemployment in the first place. The Employment and Youth Engagement Charter, published in 2024, has signed up over 300 employers to date. Employers who sign up pledge to support young jobseekers by offering them employment, training, CV help, mentorship and more.
The Work Placement Experience Programme aims to break the cycle of "no work, no experience" faced by many jobseekers, and prevent scarring effects of long-term detachment from the labour market. Participants on the Programme partake in 30 hours of work experience per week in a host organisation for 6 months and are expected to complete 60 hours of training over the same period.
Community Employment (CE) and Tús schemes are employment support programmes operated by the Department, providing work experience and training opportunities for disadvantaged and long-term unemployed people in their communities. The schemes provide vital work for local community organisations and promote social inclusion for distant labour market cohorts. In rural communities across the country, the Rural Social Scheme provides supplementary income to low-income farmers and fishers and valuable services to local communities.
My Department recognises the important role employers play in supporting the long-term unemployed. The JobsPlus recruitment subsidy is a payment of up €7,500 or €10,000 made to employers who hire a jobseeker from the Live Register. The higher rate of the payment is available to employers hiring a jobseeker in receipt of a payment for at least 24 months.
My Department is developing the successor Pathways to Work strategy, due for publication later this year. Pathways to Work 2026-2030 will strengthen efforts to support the long-term unemployed among other distant labour market groups. It will recognise the challenges and opportunities posed by digitalisation and decarbonisation to the economy and labour market. These transformations of the labour market will involve cutting edge sectors currently facing labour shortages, and drawing on the potential of the labour force through upskilling and reskilling.
