The Vice-President of the Government stated in Ponta Delgada that the unemployed with family members entitled to family allowance benefits will be awarded priority status in the employment programmes that are currently in force in the Azores, starting on January 6.

The Regional Government decided to introduce an amendment to the "Família Estável" (Stable Family) programme in order to extend its scope and award priority status to the referral of unemployed with children and youngsters at their care to unemployment measures when the household income is reduced. The decision was implemented through a resolution published in the Official Journal.

Sérgio Ávila spoke Monday at a hearing with the Committee on Parliamentary Affairs of the Legislative Assembly on a proposal presented by PSD to include single-parent families in the "Família Estável" programme, stressing that the Government goes "far beyond" this measure.

In fact, "our employment programmes will give priority to the situations when there are two household members who are unemployed as well as to unemployed single-parent families. We will also include all the unemployed with children and youngsters entitled to family allowance benefits, regardless the household composition," stressed the government official.

For Sérgio Ávila, the awarding of priority status to these cases will be made in accordance with the level of income.

"The level of income will be assessed in a simplified way based on a criterion defined by the Social Security, which is the eligibility for family allowance benefits," emphasised the Vice-President.