Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 7 December 2017

Public Accounts Committee

Comptroller and Auditor General 2016 Report
Chapter 16: Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 17: Management of Social Welfare Overpayments
Chapter 18: Department Reviews of welfare Schemes, Social Welfare Appeals Process, Social Insurance Fund

9:00 am

Mr. John McKeon:

To ensure that Deputy Connolly is aware, I note that the Department has done a review of community employment recently. With Government approval, we have decided to designate two types of community employment places, namely, those intended for activation, the primary purpose of which is to help somebody move on into employment, and those aimed at social inclusion. The primary purpose of the latter is to give occupational activity to the service user, while providing a valuable local service. We are looking at it through that lens.