Written answers

Tuesday, 31 May 2005

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Community Employment Schemes

9:00 pm

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 46: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of persons on community employment places at 1 January 2003, 1 January 2004, 1 January 2005 and the anticipated number at 31 December 2005; if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties faced by many community and voluntary groups due to the shortage of community employment places; if any changes are planned with regard to eligibility to participate in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18022/05]

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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As I announced on 10 November last, FÁS employment programmes, which comprise community employment, social economy and job initiative, will provide 25,000 places overall in 2005. I am informed by FÁS that the number of participants on CE was 24,992 on 1 January 2003, 19,848 on 1 January 2004 and 22,194 on 1 January 2005. During 2004 there was an increase of 2,346 participants on the CE scheme. FÁS anticipates that the numbers on the scheme by year end will be broadly in line with the January 2005 level.

The main purpose of the community employment programme is to provide work experience and training for the long-term unemployed and disadvantaged groups to enable participants to advance successfully to employment in the open labour market. FÁS also endeavours to ensure that local communities are supported in the delivery of services, particularly as regards health, child care and the drugs task forces, which have been ring-fenced and maintained at the 2002 levels. The change in the limit on participation from three to six years for the over 55s which I announced in November should help to ensure that there will be sufficient people available to fill the available places. There are no further changes planned regarding the eligibility criteria for the scheme.

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