Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 341: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will end the discrimination against widows over 55 years of age who are obliged to terminate their community employment schemes after six years despite the fact that other social welfare recipients can work up until the age of 65 within the same scheme; and if he proposes to eliminate this serious discrimination. [32114/07]

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 to assist them to enhance and develop both their technical and personal skills.

For the majority of clients participation on CE is capped at three years. However, in November 2004 I revised the 3 year CE capping to allow those of 55 years of age and over to avail of a 6-year period on CE (based on participation since 3rd April, 2000). This measure was introduced in recognition of the fact that older participants may find it more difficult to progress into the open labour market.

The criteria for participating on the Community Employment programme are based on age and length of time in receipt of various social welfare payments. In line with Government policy, participation on employment schemes for all participants has an upper age limit of 65 years of age i.e. FÁS may provide funds to community based employers to cover participant costs until the day before their 66th birthday.

Any individual, including widows over 55, can participate on CE up to their 66th birthday provided they have not reached their participation limit in terms of years spent on the programme.

In this regard, CE still remains as an active labour market programme with the emphasis on progression into employment. The programme is managed within this context, with consideration to the availability of resources and the needs of participants and the community. The operation of the scheme is kept under constant review.