Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 266: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she has plans to correct the anomaly whereby people on FÁS training courses who had not been in receipt of unemployment assistance but who signed on for credits while on the course are not now eligible for employment under the community employment schemes whereas the criteria for VTOS courses accepts signing on for credits as proof of long-term unemployment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21793/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, 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 (including those with a disability) with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a fixed term basis.

The eligibility criteria and participation limits for CE are set by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE). The qualifying criteria for participation are intended to facilitate the movement of participants through CE, allowing new participants who may not otherwise have such an opportunity, to avail of the programme.

One of the qualifying eligibility criteria is that time spent on recognised training courses can count towards the qualifying period, but the person must still meet the other criteria including being in receipt of an actual payment from Social Welfare.

The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) is a European Social Fund supported intervention in the Irish labour market to enable unemployed people who have been on the Live Register for at least six months to access education and training with a view to progression to employment. The qualifying criteria for the VTOS are a matter for the Department of Education and Science.