Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)

I understand what the Deputy is saying.

As regards the community employment programme, in 1999 the programme was restructured to limit participation by new participants to three years, with effect from April 2000. This change was introduced to encourage unemployed persons to progress to training or education and employment options, where possible. However, this three-year cap was amended in August 2001 to allow particularly disadvantaged persons to remain on the programme for a further period. In general, approximately 20% of participants, including persons under 55 years of age, have benefited from an additional year on the programme under the flexibility guidelines introduced in August 2001. In November 2004, to cater for older workers, the three-year CE cap was revised to allow those of 55 years of age and over to avail of a six-year period on CE, based on participation since 3 April 2000. This was introduced in recognition of the fact that older participants may find it more difficult to progress into the open labour market.

In July 2006 my Department published its sectoral plan under the Disability Act 2005. One of the key highlights of the plan is to increase participation rates of people with disabilities in community employment over the period of the plan. In order to provide additional training to assist progression to employment for people with disabilities under 55 years of age, the participation limit has been raised by one year from three to four years and for people with disabilities over 55 years of age, the participation limit has also been raised by one year from six to seven years. The upper age limit for CE participants is 65 years.

FÁS is continuing to develop the content of the community employment programme. The new approach involves the introduction of an individual learner planning process which is focusing on meeting the learning needs of participants. The individual learner plan is providing for the planning, organising and recording of the work experience, training and development of each participant while working on the community employment programme. It also includes further training and development for supervisors, a new application process and quality assurance procedures. Under this individualised approach, FÁS has proposed four new FETAC awards relevant to both community employment and job initiative learners, including certificate in personal and social employment skills level 3; certificate in vocational employment skills level 3; certificate of applied employment skills level 4; and certificate in specific employment skills level 5. These new awards will facilitate all of the planned learning completed on community employment or job initiative schemes by each participant being rolled up into the achievement of a FETAC award. This will provide added value to the learner and will support their progression to further training or employment.

Funding for community employment in 2007 has been provided with a view to maintaining overall numbers on FÁS schemes. That is an important fact. Currently, more than 22,000 people are employed on community employment schemes nationally. In delivering these places, FÁS operates flexibly in the management of this allocation in order to maximise progression to the labour market while at the same time facilitating the support of community services. This provision of places is managed through a standardised application process between regional FÁS offices and local sponsor and community organisations and any issues regarding the allocation of places are dealt with in this context. However, it should be remembered that, in so far as participants remain on community employment, they are precluding someone else from benefiting from the programme.

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