David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 80: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 34 and 67 of 28 February 2008, if the reviews of the wage subsidy scheme and the supported employment schemes have been completed and published; the policy decisions taken or intended to be taken as a result; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44938/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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A consultancy review of the operation of the Wage Subsidy Scheme has recently been completed on behalf of my Department. Following this review, the Scheme has been placed on a permanent footing and a number of reforms are being made which are aimed at enhancing its operation and improving take-up by both employers and people with disabilities.

The reforms comprise:

removing the productivity labelling process;

introducing a training element to the Wage Subsidy Scheme;

allowing Wage Subsidy Scheme employees and employers to avail of support under the Supported Employment Programme;

promoting the Wage Subsidy Scheme to increase the awareness of the Scheme;

streamlining the administration of the Scheme.

The review includes a recommendation that Wage Subsidy Scheme participants who are medical cardholders should be allowed to retain their medical card eligibility indefinitely. This is currently being discussed with the Department of Health and Children.

The review also includes a recommendation that Wage Subsidy Scheme participants should be able to retain a link to their Disability Allowance status. In this regard the Department of Social and Family Affairs has confirmed that the existing administrative arrangements whereby people in receipt of a disability payment who take up employment, e.g., under the Back-to-Work Allowance scheme, may return directly to that payment in the event that the employment does not continue for any reason, will apply equally to WSS.

It is anticipated that the various reforms to the operation of the Wage Subsidy Scheme will be implemented in 2009.

A consultancy review of the Supported Employment Programme has been completed on behalf of FÁS. Following consultations between my Department, FÁS and key Stakeholders, a number of agreed actions will be adopted in line with the review recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of the programme. A key adjustment to the future operation of the programme will be to reduce the minimum number of hours per week work requirement from 18 to 8 hours relating to employment in the open labour market.

The implementation of a FÁS Action Plan relating to the various changes that are being made to the programme has commenced and will continue in 2009.

The reports of reviews of the Wage Subsidy Scheme and the Supported Employment Programme are available respectively on the websites of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and FÁS.