Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 140: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will reduce the severity of the three-year rule for participation in community employment schemes; if her Department and the FÁS authorities are aware of the effect the present three-year rule has and will have on community employment schemes, particularly in rural based schemes; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that in many areas of the country the present community employment scheme will be wiped out if changes are not made; if she will allow greater access for persons with special needs into the community employment schemes; the total number of participants nationally in community employment schemes on 1 January 2004 and the projected number involved up to 31 December 2004; the number of participants in community employment schemes in the Galway-Mayo region on 1 January 2004 and the projected number by 31 December 2004; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12571/04]

Frank Fahey (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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As part of the Government's decision in 1999 to restructure community employment, future participation in community employment by an individual was capped at three years, effective from April 2000. The change was introduced to discourage repeated participation in community employment and to encourage unemployed persons to avail of training and education options, where possible. Such options are shown to have more successful progression outcomes for individuals.

The three-year cap was amended in August 2001 to allow particularly disadvantaged persons to remain on the programme for a further period. Participants are considered for such an extension if, on reaching the end of their normal community employment entitlements, they are likely to experience difficulty in getting employment. A number of community employment participants have difficulty in progressing to open labour market employment due to their age, literacy or numeracy problems or a lack of suitable jobs available locally.

FÁS has the discretion to give 20% of participants under 50 years of age extensions of up to a year to meet the needs of individuals who would clearly benefit from an extension in terms of their future employment prospects. Participants over the age of 50 may be given a further year on community employment, with a provision for a review at the end of that year. Further discretion may be given to extend participation on a case by case basis, subject to continued annual review. Approximately 20% of participants on community employment may benefit from an additional year on the programme under the current flexibility guidelines. An extension is considered if participants, on reaching the end of their normal community employment entitlements, are likely to experience difficulty obtaining employment due to age, literacy or numeracy problems or a lack of suitable jobs available locally.

Community employment is an elective labour market programme and, as such, the concept of progression by participants is central to it. FÁS employment services are available to assist participants who have completed their term of community employment to progress to employment on the open labour market or to advise on training and educational options available locally.

I am pleased to indicate that all health service community employment projects, including those providing services for persons with disabilities, are ring-fenced and protected from reductions. Other services that are ring-fenced from reductions include drugs task force activity and child care service provision. Projects in RAPID areas are prioritised. Sponsor organisations such as the Irish Wheelchair Association have indicated that they have difficulty in replacing participants who have completed their normal term of community employment, due to the lack of suitable applicants coming forward for the programme. In this regard, FÁS has been asked to make every effort to identify community employment participants suitable for the positions in question. If FÁS encounters difficulties in replacing departing community employment participants with suitable persons, the matter can be considered in the context of the 20% flexibility in respect of extending community employment participation.

The total funding allocation for employment schemes in 2004 has been fixed at €351 million, which will support up to 25,000 places across the three employment schemes — community employment, job initiative and social economy. FÁS is being given some flexibility in the management of the financial allocation to maximise progression to the labour market, while facilitating the support of community services. As the allocation of €351 million is similar to the budgeted amount provided in 2003, there will not be a reduction in the total level of provision for the three schemes or in the combined participation levels in 2004. On 1 January 2004, the level of participation in community employment schemes reached a target figure of 20,000.

There were 1,955 participants in community employment schemes in the Galway-Mayo region on 1 January last, comprising 1,230 participants in Galway and 725 in Mayo. It is projected that there will be 2,055 participants in community employment schemes in the Galway-Mayo region on 31 December next, comprising 1,299 participants in Galway and 756 in Mayo. The projected increase in Galway relates to places being transferred from the job initiative scheme to community employment.

The future structure of the community employment programme is being reviewed by a group of senior officials and FÁS. The group is expected to report to Ministers on the outcome of its deliberations shortly. The outcome of the review will inform future adjustments in the structure and terms and conditions of participation in community employment.