GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND EMPLOYERS ATTITUDES TOWARDS LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE IN NORTHERN-IRELAND

The article discusses government policies towards unemployed people in the context of the development of 'fair employment' policy in Norther n Ireland, It presents results from a survey of long-term unemployed p eople in West Belfast which challenge the direction and content of exi sting training and employment schemes, and their capacity to address i nequalities in unemployment between Catholics and Protestants. The art icle argues that current supply side labour market policies are having limited impact in Northern Ireland and goes on to explore policies to influence labour demand. On the basis of interviews with employers, a number of policies are advocated, including giving priority to recrui tment of longterm unemployed people in areas of high unemployment by m eans of making grant aid conditional.