The three year cap was amended in August 2001 to allow particularly disadvantaged persons to remain on the programme for a further period. FÁS has discretion to offer up to 20% of CE participants a further period on the programme on a case by case basis. An extension is considered if, on reaching the end of their normal community employment entitlements, participants are likely to experience difficulty obtaining employment due to age, literacy or numeracy problems or a lack of suitable jobs available locally. To ensure that persons with disabilities were not adversely affected by the ongoing restructuring of the community employment programme, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in conjunction with the Department of Health and Children, which has primary responsibility for funding in this area, considered the possible mainstreaming of community employment services provided in the health sector.