Written answers

Wednesday, 26 October 2005

Department of Social and Family Affairs

Social Welfare Benefits

9:00 pm

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 200: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the supports that are available to recipients of the widow's or widower's non-contributory pension to enable them to enter or return to the workforce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31031/05]

Photo of Séamus BrennanSéamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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My Department assists and encourages long-term unemployed, and other welfare recipients including persons in receipt of widow-widower non-contributory pension to return to work, training or further education through a range of measures administered by my Department's social and family support service.

One significant measure is the back to work allowance scheme which incentivises and encourages people to return to work by allowing them to retain part of their social welfare payment for a period when they take up employment or self-employment.

Another measure offered by my Department's social and family support service is the back-to-education allowance programme which provides support to long term social welfare recipients who need to obtain educational qualifications before re-entering the labour force. In addition, a special projects fund, administered by my Department's locally based facilitators provides enhanced support to people who need additional help to progress to further training and employment. The facilitators also operate small-scale family services projects in certain areas, which are designed to focus supports towards specific target groups with complex needs. The provision of this additional support involves individual attention, customised information and enhanced access to services. It can increase the capacity of those in the most difficult circumstances, to improve their self-esteem and personal situations through access to basic education, training and developmental opportunities. It is hoped that by encouraging customers to participate in self development programmes and in some instances "taster" educational programmes that they will move on to more formalised training and educational programmes.

The special projects and family services initiatives are based on the application of a partnership approach between my Department, the voluntary and community sector, the private sector and other local players in identifying and addressing local needs in terms of training and development for people dependent on social welfare payments including the widow-widowers non-contributory pension. So far this year, the €1.6 million has been accessed through the special projects fund and €1.3 million from the family services project to support these initiatives.

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