Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I welcome the opportunity to discuss the eligibility criteria for community employment schemes. I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter for discussion.

I recognise the major advances in community employment schemes since they were first introduced. They have a tremendous impact on communities in which they are operational and relevant. They provide a good source of labour for urban and rural community groups and are important in terms of assisting individuals to develop and hone their skills and return to work. The schemes are now recognised as a job-seekers' initiative and have removed the stigma associated with what was previously known as "the dole".

The advent of the rural social scheme has been effective. It is now part of our overall policy framework in terms of getting people back to work and recognising the importance of this work to communities. Both schemes work exceptionally well. The rural social scheme is good in that it does not include a definitive timeframe for participation. This comes into play only when others are seeking to come on to the scheme, which is not the case in many rural areas. The rural social scheme also requires that a participant have a herd number.

A difficulty has arisen in respect of community employment schemes. These schemes which provide meaningful employment and training have been useful and helpful in terms of developing skills for the construction sector, which has been going through a boom and required additional staff. Community employment schemes provided valuable training in block laying, stonework and carpentry. They have been hugely beneficial in rural areas in terms of landscaping, graveyard maintenance and the upkeep of community areas. In urban areas, the community employment schemes are useful in providing support to the disability sector. They are a great resource for many of the social inclusion groups working to develop and resolve some of the issues in this area. They have also been useful in providing much needed staff to assist the development of communities in built-up areas. These schemes benefit not only communities but the participants.

A difficulty arises in respect of people aged 55 years. Amendments have been made to the scheme to allow a person aged over 55 years to participate in a scheme for an additional three years or, for a person in receipt of a disability payment, an additional four years. A person who at age 55 years commences employment on a community employment scheme for the first time is permitted under existing criteria to participate in that scheme for six years. However, in the current economic environment of a contracting labour market, these people on reaching 61 years of age will encounter difficulties in obtaining suitable or gainful employment in their local area. There may be employment available in other parts of the country but people who have settled in rural areas will not travel or uproot their families and move to a larger town or city where work might be available.

I hope the Minister will re-examine the criteria to allow people aged 60 or 61 years to participate in a community employment scheme until they reach retirement age. I am aware of a number of cases involving people who have only one year remaining before they reach retirement age and who because of the six year cap must return to the job-seeker's allowance. This is soul destroying for people who are providing a good service to the community and who want to make a contribution for the payment they receive. I do not believe the cost of such cases will be overly burdensome on the State. I appeal to the Minister to re-examine this issue, perhaps as part of an overall review of the scheme, for the benefit of individuals and communities.

Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Mary Coughlan.

The FÁS community employment programme is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a fixed-term basis. Community employment helps unemployed people to re-enter the open labour market by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to a work routine and assisting them to enhance their technical and personal skills.

The community employment programme was restructured in 1999 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, the 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 community employment cap was revised to allow those of 55 years of age and over to avail of a six-year period on community employment, 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, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment published its sectoral plan under the Disability Act 2005. One of the key objectives of this plan is to increase participation rates in community employment by people with disabilities. 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 community employment 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 focuses on meeting the learning needs of participants. The individual learner plan provides for the planning, organising and recording of work experience, training and development received by each participant while working on community employment. 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 community employment and job initiative learners, including a certificate in personal and social employment skills, level 3; a certificate in vocational employment skills, level 3; a certificate of applied employment skills, level 4; and a certificate in specific employment skills, level 5. These new awards will facilitate all the planned learning completed on community employment or JI 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 2008 has been provided with a view to maintaining overall numbers on FÁS schemes. There are currently more than 22,000 people participating on community employment schemes nationally. In delivering these places, FÁS operates flexibly in the management of this allocation to maximise progression to the labour market while at the same time facilitating the support of community services. The 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. It should be remembered that participants remaining on community employment preclude others from benefiting from the programme. FÁS makes every effort to ensure that differing levels of demand between neighbouring schemes are equalised. It also operates the programme in as flexible a manner as possible to ensure the continuation of community projects.

The Government will continue to support the positive role of community employment in meeting the needs of long-term unemployed persons while at the same time providing essential services to communities. We are keeping the operation of the scheme under constant review.