75 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs his plans to act on the recommendation from the Combat Poverty Agency that the Government should establish an early warning profiling system for people most likely to become long-term unemployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6601/02]

80 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs his views on the findings of the Combat Poverty Agency sponsored study, Moving On The Dynamics of Unemployment in Ireland During the 1990s. [6626/02]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 80 together.

I welcome the recent publication of the report from the Combat Poverty Agency referred to in the questions. The report examines data from the living in Ireland surveys over a five year period from 1994 to 1998 and illustrates mobility between unemployment and other labour market situations during this time.

In this regard it complements work currently under way in my Department to identify and address the characteristics, and their relative impacts, associated with long-term unemployment. In particular it complements the findings of the report Employability and its Relevance for Management of the Live Register, commissioned by my Department and published by the ESRI in May 2001.

While the base of the living in Ireland survey is not necessarily the same as customers on the live register, both reports highlight issues such as age, gender health, education and previous work experience as having a bearing on the labour market status of an individual.