Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 266: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason no reply has been received for Parliamentary Questions Nos. 189 of 14 December 2004 and 297 of 15 February 2005; and if a reply will issue. [13953/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Community employment, CE, is intended as a labour market work experience programme of pre-determined duration. Participants who leave the programme are replaced on an ongoing basis and thus redundancy does not arise in such cases because the programme position continues to exist. In circumstances where a project closes down, the participants, with their agreement, may transfer to another FÁS-sponsored project to complete their term on CE.

Redundancy is, in the first instance, an issue between the employer and employee. In the exceptional circumstances where redundancy arises, due to the closing down of the project, CE participants may claim statutory redundancy provided they have worked continuously for at least 104 weeks with the same employer. Such claims are made directly to the employer who sponsors the project in the first instance. I am informed by FÁS that during the years 2002 and 2003 the number of participants who were paid statutory redundancy was in the order of 120. The figure for 2004 is estimated by FÁS at being substantially less, particularly as the overall level of places provided on CE increased by approximately 2000 during that year. Finally, I regret the delay in providing the Deputy with the information.