Written answers
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
Department of Social and Family Affairs
Community Employment Schemes
2:30 pm
Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 691: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in community employment schemes nationally, and of those the breakdown of social welfare payments and benefits category by category; if he will confirm that those CE participants in receipt of unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance are not entitled to claim CE payments, whereas all other category of social welfare recipient effectively obtains a double payment under community employment; the cost of this double payment; the reason unemployment assistance and unemployment benefit recipients are not treated the same as other groups within the social welfare code; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48522/10]
Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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There were 23,068 persons participating on community employment schemes (of whom 1,416 are supervisors) on 6th December, 2010. The breakdown by eligibility is as follows:
Description | Total |
Blind Pension | 14 |
Carers Allowance | 9 |
Disability Allowance | 2,050 |
Disability Benefit | 790 |
Deserted Wives Benefit | 173 |
Employment Action Plan | 25 |
Ex Offenders | 6 |
Invalidity Pension | 1,537 |
Offshore Island Inhabitants | 11 |
One Parent Family Payment | 4,659 |
Supervisor Status | 1,416 |
Disability Referral | 43 |
Qualified Adult Dependent | 55 |
Refugees | 4 |
Exception (Special) | 184 |
Task Force Response (Drugs) | 228 |
Travellers on Live Register | 55 |
Travellers on Lone Parents | 18 |
Traveller Training Centre | 0 |
Jobseekers Allowance | 6,653 |
Adult Dependent Swap - JA | 59 |
Jobseekers Benefit | 4,375 |
Adult Dependent Swap - JB | 16 |
Widow/ers | 688 |
Total | 23,068 |
Persons meeting the scheme criteria and in receipt of the requisite duration of unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance are entitled to participate on CE. Jobseeker clients swap their main and dependants payments entirely over to CE. Participant wages grants as of 1st January 2011, are as follows:
Participant Category (temporary/part-time) | Grant € |
Participant without Dependants (Single adult rate) | 208.00 |
Participant with an Adult Dependant (Single adult rate plus IQA) | 332.80 |
Each Child Dependant (Full Rate) | 29.80 |
Each Child Dependant (Half Rate) | 14.90 |
In relation to 'double payments', only specific categories of social welfare recipient continue to receive all or part of such payments while participating on CE, these categories are lone parents and persons with a disability. Persons in receipt of disability-related payments only receive the CE single adult rate from FÁS as well as their main social welfare payment, which is partially or fully retained, and covers any dependants they may have. Lone parents retain most of their social welfare payment as well as receiving the CE single adult rate plus any relevant child dependant allowances from FÁS (See table below)
Table
Community Employment | |||||
Estimated Additional Cost of CE Participation (paid by DSP) | |||||
Number | Total | Estimated DSP payment in addition to FÁS CE Payment | Total Additional Cost per week | Total Annual Additional Cost | |
# | # | € | € | € | |
Lone Parents | 4,659 | ||||
Traveller Lone Parents | 18 | ||||
Deserted Wife's Allowance | 173 | 4,850 | 185.80 | 901,130 | 46,858,760 |
Widow/ers Pension | 688 | 688 | 193.50 | 133,128 | 6,922,656 |
Disability Allowance | 2,050 | 2,050 | 153.50 | 314,675 | 16,363,100 |
Blind Pension | 14 | 14 | 153.50 | 2,149 | 111,748 |
Illness Benefit | 790 | 790 | 188.00 | 148,520 | 7,723,040 |
Invalidity Pension | 1,537 | 1,537 | 193.50 | 297,410 | 15,465,294 |
Total | 9,929 | 93,444,598 |
Note. Lone Parent additional costs include 1 dependant only. All other categories have no dependants included.
All above costs are estimated as they are subject to means assessment.
Additional costs based on Budget 2011.
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