Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 549: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 592 of 24 April 2007, if he will review the decision not to mainstream community employment schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20877/07]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

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 to assist 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.

The total number of places spread across the 3 ring-fenced sectors, namely Drugs, Childcare and Health, is approximately 6,000, which represents 27% of current places. In November 2004, following a review of FÁS Employment schemes (Community Employment, Job Initiative and Social Economy Programmes), I announced that Community Employment places supporting the delivery of health services will continue to be ring-fenced. There are currently no plans to mainstream these Community Employment places.