James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 281: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the action she will take against FÁS in view of its failure to take on initiatives to allow people with disabilities to work 20 hours per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17434/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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It is assumed that the Deputy is referring to the minimum hours that are required to be worked in order to be eligible for certain FÁS employment programmes for people with disabilities. In this regard the significant employment support schemes provided by FÁS for people with disabilities are as follows:

The Wage Subsidy Scheme is available to all employers (except public service employers and/or any employers or schemes where wages are funded by FÁS) in the State who provide a minimum of 21 hours of employment per week to disabled workers. The objective of the scheme is to increase the number of people with disabilities in employment, as far as practicable, and to provide a level playing field for them in seeking out, or remaining in employment. The scheme provides payment of a wage subsidy to the employer to compensate for the reduced productivity of the disabled worker. The wage subsidies are designed to provide an incentive to employers to look more closely at the potential of people with disabilities to meet their labour force requirements. Disabled workers may work up to 39 hours per week in agreement with their employer.

The Supported Employment programme is a labour market initiative providing supports to help people with disabilities access the open labour market. It is implemented by sponsor organisations on behalf of FÁS who employ job coaches to provide a range of supports tailored to the individual needs of a jobseeker. The ultimate outcome is that the employee becomes independent of job coach support.

It is expected that participants on Supported Employment, upon commencement of employment, will enter a progression for a working time strategy leading to work in excess of 18 hours per week. Exceptions may be made in cases where it is believed that the jobseeker requires further support.

The Community Employment Programme provides eligible unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons, including people with disabilities, with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary basis. CE has three categories of participant, each with its own set of qualifying conditions, namely:

1. Part-time Integration option

2. Part-time job option

3. Rate for the job option

Community sponsors must provide 39 hours per fortnight on the Part-time Integration Option and the Part-time Job Option, and between 24 and 39 hours per fortnight for participants on the Rate for Job Option.

The eligibility criteria for all FÁS employment programmes, including those for people with disabilities, are implemented by FÁS in accordance with my Department's policy goals that are aimed at enhancing the employment prospects of people with disabilities. These employment programmes are reviewed at appropriate intervals with a view to increasing programme efficiency and effectiveness where possible. In this regard reviews of both the Wage Subsidy Scheme and the Supported Employment Programme are nearing completion and are expected to be concluded very shortly. Copies of these reviews will be made available to relevant interest groups in due course.