First year of Employment Aid Programme

Over €1.5 million have been committed to the payment of salaries through the Employment Aid Programme (EAP) until the end of last year - the first 10 months of the programme.

The programme is aimed at jobseekers in disadvantaged situations, such as those aged under 25, and who are within two years of completing their full-time education; those who have been absent from work for at least two years and who want to re-enter the labour market; single people looking for work, who look after others dependent on them; those who left schooling after secondary school and were made redundant, or given redundancy notice, in the past six months; those aged over 50; those who have been registering for work for a stipulated period of time; and the disabled.

Through the programme, the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) can financially help those who employ people falling within these categories.

This assistance is in the form of a generous subsidy on salaries, as well as on the employer's contribution to the employee's National Insurance. This subsidy is given for a number of months, and in the case of companies employing people with disability, the subsidy is given for three years.

The group with the greatest uptake has been that of under-25-year-olds who are within two years of completing their full-time education and who have not yet been in regular paid employment. Another popular group was that of those absent from both work and formal education for the last two years and who wish to re-enter working life.

The EAP has so far assisted with 411 work placements. More placements are expected to be effected shortly. Employers and human resources managers who would like more information should set an appointment with Impetus Europe by calling 2559 0683 or by e-mailing info@impetuseurope.com.