Written answers

Wednesday, 1 July 2009

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Community Employment Schemes

11:00 pm

Photo of Mattie McGrathMattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 94: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her plans to examine the role of community employment schemes; if their place in the system will be increased rather than keeping people on long-term dependence on social welfare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26483/09]

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, 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 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.

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 April's Budget €6.6m was provided for 400 additional CE places bringing the total number of CE places to 22,700.

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 am keeping the operation of the Scheme under constant review in the context of the current difficult unemployment situation.

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