Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 75: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position regarding numbers on community employment schemes; the number in each category on schemes, that is, invalidity, over 55 years, lone parents and so on; if additional numbers are being allowed; the instructions that have been given to FÁS to create new vacancies in view of the fact that persons in the over 55 years category are being let go to make room for more spaces. [21940/09]

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.

In response to the current economic difficulties, persons that are considered job-ready are progressed through FÁS Employment Services onto other options thus freeing up CE places for others in greater need.

In the April Budget I provided funds for 400 additional Community Employment places. Anyone wishing to apply for any CE scheme should register with their local FÁS Employment Services Office where their needs will be matched to the most appropriate FÁS intervention, which may include CE. All the additional CE places will be allocated through the normal FÁS gateway process operated by FÁS Employment Services.

A breakdown of the numbers on CE as at 25th May is provided in the following table.