Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 245: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the fairness of persons not being able to qualify for social welfare payments either due to the income of their spouses or to an inadequate number of social welfare contributions and who consequently cannot take up places on community employment or social economy schemes; his proposals in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14931/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Eligibility for FÁS employment programmes is, in general, limited to persons who are long-term unemployed and in receipt of an unemployment payment or certain other welfare payments, such as the one-parent family payment or disability payments. It is appropriate to continue to target available resources at the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. Accordingly, there are no plans to change the eligibility criteria for participation on FÁS employment schemes.