Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 390: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider the points made in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40238/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Activation and support for those who are unemployed is a key priority for Government. Earlier this year, the Taoiseach announced a number of changes to improve the delivery of employment, training and community services to the public by bringing together related responsibilities in these areas. These changes include the restructuring of Departmental responsibilities with the objective of providing a stream-lined response to the income support and job search needs of people who are unemployed. When all functions have been transferred, the employment and community services programmes of FÁS, the Rural Social Scheme and the Community Services Programmes, previously delivered by the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs, will be managed by a single Department with the objective of providing a more effective and streamlined service to the unemployed people by integrating the income support provided through the social welfare system with supports for activation and re-entry to employment.

In this context, my Department is devising proposals for the development of new initiatives based on the Rural Social Scheme and the Community Services Programme which will offer social employment opportunities. Considerable work is required on these proposals before they come on stream and take their place within the suite of activation measures aimed at supporting unemployed people. The issues raised in the correspondence referred to by the Deputy in respect of the displacement of current employment and training opportunities on Community Employment, concerns about the ability and capacity of the community and voluntary sector to provide work opportunities and the needs for task specific training are being considered in the implementation of these initiatives.