Written answers

Tuesday, 27 January 2009

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Community Employment Schemes

9:00 pm

Photo of Willie PenroseWillie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 204: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will take steps to reduce the period of time for which a person must be registered as in receipt of jobseeker's benefit or allowance from 12 months to 3 months in order to allow persons over 55 who have recently become unemployed to become eligible for participation on community employment schemes, as such a change would take cognisance of the new realities of the economic position, and the difficulties of such people securing full-time employment as a result; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1883/09]

Photo of Billy KelleherBilly Kelleher (Cork North Central, 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 with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a fixed term basis. The purpose of CE is to help unemployed people to re-enter the open labour market 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. CE is not designed to cater for short-term unemployed persons as they are not as far removed from the open labour market as the main client group for the programme. All CE places are filled on an ongoing basis, as the demand always exceeds the number of places available.

To cater for older workers in particular, in November 2004 Minister Micheál Martin revised the 3-year CE capping to allow those of 55 years of age and over to avail of a 6-year overall period on CE (based on participation since 3rd April 2000). This was in recognition of the fact that older participants may find it more difficult to progress into employment. The current eligibility criteria set by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment for entry onto the Community Employment programme allows for the combination of periods on different social welfare payments provided they add up to at least 12 consecutive months and the person is currently in receipt of the payment at the time of application. Persons in receipt of Jobseekers Benefit can normally apply for Jobseekers Allowance when their contribution-based payment is exhausted. This would maintain the continuity to make up the 12-month eligibility period.

The aim of CE still remains as an active labour market programme with the emphasis on progression into employment. There is a wide range of client groups that benefit from access to CE — lone parents, persons with disabilities, stabilised substance abusers and unemployed persons. FÁS at all times is obliged to accommodate the needs of all these groups in terms of participation on Community Employment. The programme is managed within this context, with consideration to the availability of resources and the needs of participants and the community.

In conclusion then, I would say that this Government will continue to support into the future 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.

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