Ms Deirdre Shanley:

Deputy O'Dea asked about the training on community employment, which is a very valuable aspect of the overall programme. Last year about €6 million was spent on procured training on community employment. However, that really understates the value of training received because many community employment participants receive free training from the ETBs in their local areas.

The training is available to both strands of activation and social inclusion. Someone in a place that is deemed to be social inclusion can still avail of the training. We encourage all participants on community employment to engage in training and progress irrespective of the strand they are in. The activation strands may be more focused on the QQI framework and training that leads to qualifications in FETAC or HETAC awards, whereas some of the social-inclusion-type training may be more industry related or to do with health and safety, but still very valuable to the participants who receive it. On average in any year about 20,000 FETAC or HETAC components or awards are achieved by participants in community employment. Some participants might do one or two modules of a HETAC or FETAC course, but in addition there are a substantial number of components outside the NFQ. Almost 22,000 in 2015 were related to health and safety, manual handling, etc. All participants on community employment receive some level of training. All of it is very valuable in their outcomes and progression.

As I mentioned it is available to both the activation and social inclusion strands, but the people pursuing the activation-type roles would engage in more QQI modules or achieving actual full awards, maybe a major award at level 5 in child care or level 6.

The over-62 pilot is still available to people who are over 62 even though it is under review.