Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 108: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a person who is being made redundant in March 2009 will be eligible to take up a FÁS scheme or community employment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9824/09]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised by FÁS that all unemployed persons are eligible to participate on FÁS mainline training courses.

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 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.

The criteria for participating on the Community Employment programme are based on age and length of time in receipt of various social welfare payments. In general, the Part-time Integration Option is for people of 25 or over who are receiving social welfare payments for 1 year or more, and people of 18 years or over in receipt of disability-related payments. The Part-time Job Option is for people who are 35 or over and in receipt of social welfare payments for 3 years or longer.

Certain groups such as travellers and refugees aged 18 or over are eligible for both options. If a person qualifies under the criteria but does not wish to take up the option themselves, there are certain conditions under which a spousal swap can take place.

Further information on the Community Employment Programme is available on the FÁS website www.fás.ie.