Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 211: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will review the criteria for eligibility for unemployed persons to gain access to community employment schemes where many unfilled vacancies exist due to present criteria, namely,12 month terms for qualification or where short-term return to work means employees have again to wait a further 12 months to qualify. [2159/09]

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 with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a fixed term basis. CE helps long-term 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.

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.

CE 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. Participants exiting CE may wish to avail of FÁS/Local Employment Service Offices which provide information on other employment and training opportunities which may be available to those in local communities.

FÁS also provide a range programmes aimed specifically at the short-term unemployed, details of which are available from any FÁS Employment Services office or LES office or from the FÁS website.

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.