23 May 2001

VISION IS OF A COMPETITIVE ECONOMY FOR ALL - FARREN

"Our vision is one of a competitive economy, creating opportunities for all in the new knowledge-based era we now live in," Minister for Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment, Dr Sean Farren, said today as he opened a major conference on Social Inclusion and the New Labour Market.

Organised by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, the conference was attended by policy makers and opinion formers in both the public and private sectors, trade unions and non-government organisations.

Speaking at the conference, Minister Farren said: "The Executive is pressing ahead with a challenging programme of work to tackle disadvantage and promote social inclusion.

"The Executive’s Targeting Social Need strategy, ‘Making it Work,’ launched in March, sets out how our Departments will work together to tackle social disadvantage and places a particular emphasis on reducing unemployment and increasing employability.

"Despite the growth of the Northern Ireland economy over the last decade, long-term unemployment remains a problem area. Too many of our people are caught within this cycle and for a variety of reasons face difficulties securing or retaining employment. We are committed to tackling this issue and for this reason the Taskforce on Employability and Long-term Unemployment has been established."

This inter-departmental group, chaired by Dr Farren, will provide realistic and practical initiatives to improve employability and tackle long-term unemployment and will engage with organisations outside government, which have an interest in employability.

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