Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Apologies have been received from Deputies Kerrane, Carey and Flanagan. Deputy Flanagan, in his absence, forwarded a submission on our agenda item for today, which has been circulated to members. We might invite him to discuss it further at our next meeting.

Before we commence, I remind members participating remotely they must do so from within the precincts of Leinster House. I ask members and witnesses to turn off their mobile phones because these interfere with the broadcasting equipment and that members participating remotely please use the raised hand icon on Teams if they wish to contribute.

This morning's meeting has been convened to discuss the State's community employment programme, which is administered by the Department of Social Protection. Community employment is an active market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their local communities on a temporary, fixed-term basis. To be eligible for the community employment, CE, programme individuals must generally be aged between 21 and 55 years and in receipt of a qualifying payment for the previous 12 months. Participants can remain on a CE scheme for three consecutive years and may become re-eligible following a consequent 12-month period of unemployment. Those aged over 60 and above are supported to remain on the CE programme until they reach the age for pension eligibility. Some 10% of places are reserved for this purpose.

The schemes acted as a vital resource for the provision of key services in communities as well as the bedrock for the establishment of many social and not-for-profit enterprises while also affording those who were long-term unemployed the opportunity to work and develop themselves within their own community. At the end of April 2022 there were 19,037 participants and 1,243 supervisors employed by CE schemes. However, participation levels have not returned to pre-Covid levels with one in ten positions still vacant when compared with February 2020. While the Department of Social Protection is prioritising the filling of the current vacancies on CE schemes, including the additional 1,500 places assigned to CE schemes under the pathways to work scheme, this committee has expressed concerns with regard to the ongoing challenges in filling positions on some CE schemes. The committee has recommended that the time limits for those aged over 55 on CE schemes be relaxed to allow people to remain on schemes where there is no one to replace them. The committee has also recommended to the Minister that participants on CE schemes should be allowed to transfer to a Tús work placement if they are not able to receive employment from their community employment participation.

I am aware the Government is fully committed to the future of the CE schemes and recognises the valuable contribution being made to local communities through the provision of services. However, we are all aware of the long-running issue of the lack of pension entitlement for CE supervisors and we all know CE supervisors are instrumental in the success of the programme, not only managing the day-to-day operation of the schemes but providing vital support to participants to assist them in accessing further education and training as well as sourcing employment. As we know, it took until last year to reach agreement with the Department of Social Protection to resolve issues arising from the 2008 Labour Court recommendation on CE supervisors’ pensions. We are still waiting for payments to commence for those who retired as supervisors since 2008.

I thank members of the joint committee for raising this important issue as a priority item for our work programme in 2022. A briefing from the Department and the committee secretariat has been issued to members. I particularly thank the joint committee’s policy adviser, Ms Haley O’Shea for her work on this.

I welcome to the meeting senior representatives from SIPTU who are actively involved with workers engaged on the schemes, in particular Mr. Conor Mahon, CE supervisor and chairperson of the SIPTU national CE supervisors committee; Mr. Gabriel Kearney , chairperson of the sponsorship committee of Claregalway-Annaghdown CE scheme; Mr. Michele Rohan, CE supervisor and vice chairperson of the SIPTU national CE supervisors committee; and Mr. Peter Glynn, SIPTU sector organiser. They are all very welcome here this morning.

Before we commence, I will read a note on privilege. Witnesses are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in any way to make him, her or it identifiable or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative that they comply with any such direction.

Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against any person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way to make him or her identifiable.

I now call on Mr. Conor Mahon to make the opening statement on behalf of SIPTU.