Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 525: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of community employment participants that were and are on CE schemes in the Dublin 8, 10, 12 and 22 areas in years 2003 to 2006 and to date in 2007; and the breakdown per scheme. [20142/07]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 526: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if there are plans to increase or decrease the number of community employment places in Dublin 8, 10, 12 and 22; and the number of same that are ringfenced for a category of participants (details supplied) per scheme. [20143/07]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 525 and 526 together.

I understand from FÁS that there are no plans to increase or decrease the number of places on Community Employment in the above-mentioned geographical areas.

All applicants who meet the eligibility criteria for Community Employment are entitled to apply for vacant positions, this includes people with disabilities and those on pre-retirement. I further understand from FÁS that there is no formal ring fencing of places for pre-retirement or for those with disabilities. Nationally there are 1,000 places ring fenced for drug rehabilitation. As set out in the Programme for Government, the recommendations of the Working Group on Drug Rehabilitation in relation to extra community employment places will be implemented.

In April 2000 limits were introduced on the amount of time that a person could participate on CE (3-years total time on CE from 3rd April 2000 — participation on CE before this date is disregarded). CE capping was introduced to facilitate the movement of participants through the programme, allowing new participants who may not otherwise have such an opportunity, avail of the programme. However, participants with disabilities are eligible for one additional year.

All participants who are over fifty-five years of age are eligible to participate for a total term of six years. However, persons with disabilities who are over fifty-five years of age are also eligible for an additional year and have a total eligibility term of seven years.

At present 6,053 (29% of total participants) participants on CE are aged 55 and over (excluding Supervisors). In addition, there are a total of 5,569 (26.5% of total) participants on CE who have a Department of Social and Family Affairs disability linked payment.

In conclusion, I refer the Deputy to the following table, which displays the number of participants on Community Employment in the Dublin 8, 10, 12 and 22 areas for the period 2003-2006 and to date in 2007.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 527: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when the embargo on allocating community employment places will be lifted by FÁS to allow for CE schemes to operate at full capacity; and if there is an understanding by FÁS of the effect that delaying drug rehabilitation participants from taking up places can have in terms of setting back their rehabilitation. [20144/07]

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 fixed term basis. CE helps unemployed people to re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to a work routine and assists them to enhance/develop both their technical and personal skills.

Within this context and in order to support the delivery of essential services, the ring-fencing and prioritisation of places for health related services, childcare and Drugs Task Force clients was introduced in 2002/2003. As a result of this ring-fencing of places, service provision levels within these sectors was, and continues to be, maintained at a constant level.

FÁS has allocated 1,000 CE places which are dedicated to drug rehabilitation. Given the nature of this work, the number has, and will continue to fluctuate as participants drop out of programmes and recommence on a continuous basis.

FÁS will work with local CE Framework groups and local Drug Task Forces to continue to allocate the 1,000 places as evenly and fairly as possible.