James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 154: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if people who wish to work until 70 years of age on FÁS schemes can do so rather that retiring to draw a State pension. [12021/09]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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FÁS as an agency of my Department operates the Community Employment (CE) and Job Initiative (JI) schemes.

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.

The Job Initiative Programme (JI) was launched in July 1996 and provides full time employment for people who are 35 years of age or over, unemployed for 5 years or more, and in receipt of Social Welfare payments over that period. The main purpose of the programme is to assist long-term unemployed people to prepare for work opportunities by providing participants with work experience, training and development opportunities. The programme is sponsored by voluntary organisations and public bodies involved in not-for-profit activities.

Participation on Community Employment and Job Initiative has an upper age limit of 65 years of age, i.e. a participant/supervisor can remain on the programme 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/JI place and the participant's state pension simultaneously. This Government will continue to support the positive role of FÁS Employment Schemes in meeting the needs of long-term unemployed persons while at the same time providing essential services to communities. I am keeping the operation of the schemes under constant review in the context of the current difficult unemployment situation.