In Cork the Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise and Employment yesterday defended the measures to reduce dole queues by cutting payments to those who refuse job offers, work experience or training and insisted it was in line with the views of the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern.
Ms Harney said her proposals were part of the Government's agreed Employment Action Plan.
In the proposals, under-25s who have been unemployed for six months and refuse work, training or work experience will have their dole stopped, while over-25s who refuse similar offers after 12 months' unemployment will similarly be deprived of their payments.
"It's very much a carrot approach - not the stick - we're not threatening anyone," she said, pointing out that under existing legislation anyone who isn't available for work loses their employment payments.
"The problem at the moment is that it's simply enforced through social welfare controls. The State doesn't intervene at all. It's your duty to go out, and what we're doing now is that we're getting active with unemployed people and offering them opportunities."
Ms Harney revealed that between 60 and 100 FAS staff will be transferred to help implement the new proposals which will involve the Department of Social Welfare informing unemployed people of their new obligations when they are six or 12 months unemployed.
She said the proposals were part of the Government's plan to reduce unemployment to 7 per cent over the next two years, and suggestions that it would take an estimated 40,000 off the dole queues were broadly accurate.
Ms Harney said she understood the response of the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed which described the plan as "a cheap remark", but their submissions to Government on unemployment had been taken into account.