Seanad debates

Wednesday, 13 November 2002

Community Employment Schemes: Motion.

 

There are concerns about the effects of streamlining some of the projects and I take Senator White's point about the hours which suit many participants. There are questions about the retention of some of the benefits which lone parents have access to and these are being tackled constantly. An excellent example is the social economy programme. Out of 773 applications, 600 have been approved and 320 enterprises have been approved for full start-up grant support, representing a commitment to approximately 2000 grant supported employees. The cost over the last 18 months to two years has been €14 million, which is equal to 5,000 community employment places plus extra support services. These imaginative initiatives are locally based, a prime example being a project in progress in Darndale which has proved a huge success. The projects are being reviewed on an ongoing basis to ascertain their effectiveness, which is an excellent idea.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.