Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 300: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views on launching a new jobs scheme in close liaison with the community and commercial sectors with the objective of reintegrating graduates of community employment schemes into full or part-time jobs in the social or mainstream economy; and his further views on pilot programmes in conjunction with the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in this regard. [16212/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department manages the Community Services Programme which provides local employment opportunities for people from the following target groups — people with disabilities; long-term unemployed; members of the travelling community; lone parents and recovering drug misusers. The Programme provides funding to 380 established community services or businesses and supports local community activity to address disadvantage. The activities of the projects funded under the programme are varied and include, for example, community child care services, services for the elderly or for people with disabilities, rural transport projects, projects to operate community halls and facilities, community radio, rural tourism, recycling and environmental projects.

While maintaining its priority focus on providing employment opportunities for vulnerable target groups, my Department are considering opportunities for co-operating with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (D/ET&E) in relation to assisting individuals leaving community employment schemes. Discussions on the matter between my Department and the D/ET&E are ongoing.