Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 2: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she has plans to allow persons who have completed their term on community employment schemes, who are reaching their 60th birthday and who have no hope of getting other employment, to participate in further community employment schemes until they reach their pension age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35213/08]

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.

To cater for older workers in particular, 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). These measures were introduced in recognition of the fact that older participants may find it more difficult to progress into the open labour market.

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. To do so would mean that the state would effectively be double-funding both the CE place and the participant's state pension simultaneously.

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.

For a person to be considered for re-entry to Community Employment 12 months need to have elapsed since any previous participation and he/she must have been on the Live Register for that 12 month period. This is entirely subject to the availability of places, local demand and equity of opportunity to eligible long term unemployed people.

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.