Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 131: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on lowering the age for participating in a community employment scheme from 55 to 50 years and over, which allows persons in this age group to participate in the scheme when otherwise eligible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20446/09]

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. 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.

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. Those who are eligible usually participate for a period of 1 year.

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. Under this Option those who are eligible may participate for a period of 3 years. The 3 year option recognises the need to provide access to a part-time job for extended periods for older persons who have been unable to secure regular employment for some time.

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

The aim of CE still 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. However, it should be remembered that, in so far as participants remain on CE, they are precluding someone else from benefiting from the programme. FÁS makes every effort to ensure that differing levels of demand between neighbouring schemes are equalised. FÁS also operates the programme flexibly as far as possible to ensure the continuation of community projects.

In conclusion then, I would say that this Government will continue to support the positive role of CE in meeting the needs of long-term unemployed persons while at the same time providing essential services to communities. I have no plans to amend the eligibility criteria for participation on Community Employment Schemes, however, the operation of the Scheme is kept under constant review in the context of the current difficult unemployment situation.