Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 122: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason persons over 55 years of age are not allowed to work until they reach retirement age on community employment schemes; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is a tranche of such workers, relatively small in number, who will find for maybe five or six years before they reach old age pension, that their chances of obtaining employment is almost nil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32596/06]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Community Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary basis. CE helps unemployed people to re-enter the open labour market by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to a work routine and to assist them to enhance/develop both their technical and personal skills.

With effect from 10 November 2004 those aged 55 years of age and over were eligible to participate on CE for a maximum period of 6 years, based on participation since 3rd April 2000. Subsequently, the participation limit for persons eligible for CE based on a Social Welfare disability linked payment was increased by 1 year. These measures were introduced in recognition of the fact that older participants and participants with a disability may find it more difficult to progress into the open labour market.