Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The employment schemes to which he refers came within the remit of the Department of Social Protection at the beginning of 2012. Community employment is an active labour market programme, with the emphasis on progression into employment and-or further education and training. The programme is managed within this context, with consideration given to the availability of resources and the needs of participants and the community.

The primary purpose of community employment is as a transitional programme to reintegrate the long-term unemployed and other specified disadvantaged groups into open labour market jobs. The programme is designed to provide fixed-term, temporary opportunities for persons on the live register who have been unemployed for a minimum of 12 months and in receipt of certain social welfare payments for specified periods. Participants on the programme work for an average of 19.5 hours per week and may also avail of training opportunities. Participation on the programme can vary from between one and seven years based on age and qualifying eligibility.

Under the community employment programme, public sector and voluntary organisations known as community employment sponsors are grant-aided by the Department in respect of sponsoring a community employment project. In turn, they benefit in a secondary way by being able to carry out worthwhile work which they could not otherwise undertake. Suitable projects are those that can be shown to respond to a clearly identified community need and develop the work skills of participants, thereby enhancing their prospects of obtaining a mainstream job. Revised community employment guidelines have been published recently and will be updated as and when required.

The community employment scheme, rural social scheme and Tús are employment programmes administered by the Department of Social Protection. The schemes have different target groups and overall aims, although they are similar in many respects. Participation on the community employment programme and rural social scheme is voluntary, while participants on Tús are selected by the Department of Social Protection. Each scheme has its own rules and regulations in line with the overall aims of each programme.

The rural social scheme is aimed at low income farmers and fishermen and fisherwomen. It provides a supplementary income where participants are unable to earn an adequate living from farming or fishing. To qualify for the scheme a person must be in receipt of certain social welfare payments and in return he or she provides services that benefit rural communities. The Department has overall responsibility for policy on the rural social scheme, including eligibility criteria. At a local level, the scheme is managed by implementing bodies such as local development companies and, in the Gaeltacht areas, Údarás na Gaeltachta.

A participant on the rural social scheme works 19.5 hours per week based on a schedule that is friendly to farming and fishing. This is done to ensure participation on the scheme does not affect a person's farming or fishing activities. Contracts run from the commencement date up to the following 31 March and participants may be considered for a further term following the initial contract if they continue to meet all the criteria for the scheme. Local management decides on each participant's renewal application. While it is not intended that anyone would remain on the scheme permanently, there is no definite time limit for participation.

Tús, on the other hand, is an activation initiative for those who are unemployed and on the live register. The initiative aims to support the work readiness of those who participate. It provides short-term quality and suitable working opportunities for people who are unemployed, while carrying out beneficial work within communities. It is hoped the scheme will contribute to the management of the live register and act as a disincentive to those who are not eligible for welfare benefits. Participants will be identified in the first instance by the Department of Social Protection by satisfying the following conditions. He or she will have been continuously unemployed for at least 12 months and "signing" on a full-time basis; be in receipt of a jobseeker's payment from the Department of Social Protection for at least 12 months; and be currently in receipt of jobseeker's allowance.

The Department will identify and contact persons on the live register who satisfy the criteria and offer them the opportunity to be considered for local placement as opportunities arise. When those identified agree to participate they will be referred to the local development company or Údarás na Gaeltachta office operating in their area for interview and consideration for placement. The local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta will maintain a panel from which persons will be recruited. As placement opportunities arise, those on the panel will be matched with the work and recruited. Prior to being offered a placement, it will be necessary to ensure that a person's general suitability for the work involved and his or her experience of similar work is established. This will be done at local level by relevant bodies. All types of work can be offered and details of the jobs available will be provided at an interview with the implementing body. Work will be community based and attempts will be made to match the person's skills and location to available work placements. It is obligatory to respond to any offer made to participate on Tús by the Department.

As Deputy Kitt may be aware, the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, requested a review of the overall employment support schemes to ensure we obtain the best possible value from them.

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