Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Question 110: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills her plans regarding access to community employment schemes of persons in receipt of one-parent family allowance or disability allowance payment; the conditions that will apply both financially and regarding length of time available to partake on a community employment scheme for persons in receipt of the one-parent family allowance or disability allowance [37980/10]

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Question 111: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills her plans regarding access to community employment schemes of persons in receipt of one-parent family allowance or disability allowance payment; the conditions that will apply both financially and regarding length of time available to partake on a community employment scheme for persons in receipt of the one-parent family allowance or disability allowance [37981/10]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 111 together.

Persons aged 25 years or over and who are currently in receipt of One Parent Family Payment for 12 months or more continue to be eligible to participate in the Community Employment Programme. Persons aged 18 years or over who are currently in receipt of Illness Benefit for 6 months or more are also eligible for participation in the programme and subject to approval from the Department of Social Protection to engage in employment of a rehabilitative nature. I have no plans under consideration at present to change the current eligibility requirements for entry to the programme.

Persons can remain on a CE scheme for longer than the standard three years if they are aged 55 years or over, subject to meeting the eligibility criteria and the availability of places. In addition persons in receipt of the following disability linked Social Welfare payments may be eligible for an additional 1 year's participation: Disability Allowance; Blind Pension; Invalidity Pension; Illness Benefit for 6 months or more; All lone parents and persons with disabilities participating on CE retain all or part of their Social Welfare payment simultaneously to their CE payment, the minimum weekly payment currently being €216.