Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 222: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a participant in a community employment scheme, on reaching the age of 64, can have their period of employment extended until they reach old age pension age. [30688/08]

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. 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.

Participation on Community Employment has an upper age limit of 65 years of age, i.e. a CE participant/Supervisor can remain on CE until the day before their 66th birthday, provided they meet all other eligibility requirements. FÁS cannot make funding available to a Sponsor for any participant or Supervisor aged 66 years or over.

The aim of 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. FÁS makes every effort to ensure that differing levels of demand between neighbouring schemes are equalised. FÁS also operates the programme flexibly as far as possible to ensure the continuation of community projects.

In conclusion then, I would say that this Government will continue to support the positive role of CE in meeting the needs of long-term unemployed persons while at the same time providing essential services to communities. In this regard, we are keeping the operation of the Scheme under constant review.