Written answers

Tuesday, 10 May 2011

Department of Social Protection

Community Employment Schemes

9:00 pm

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 54: To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans for community employment including any changes she will make to same. [10454/11]

Photo of Jonathan O'BrienJonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 60: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will raise the limit on the number of community employment participants in view of the fact that this is a positive activation measure. [10455/11]

Photo of Jonathan O'BrienJonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 73: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will restore the full FÁS training budget for community employment in order to maximise the activation potential of community employment. [10456/11]

Photo of Peadar TóibínPeadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 190: To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans to increase the number of community employment places available. [7976/11]

Photo of Peadar TóibínPeadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 192: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she is committed to supporting special community employment schemes as provided for in the National Drugs Strategy. [7969/11]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 54, 60, 73, 190 and 192 together.

From 1st January 2011 policy and funding responsibility for FÁS functions in relation to employment and community employment services was transferred to this Department in accordance with the provisions of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2010. The FÁS schemes involved include the Community Employment programme (CE). FÁS remains responsible for the day to day operation of CE in accordance with the terms of a Service Agreement/Framework Document which it has concluded with this Department.

The aim of the CE scheme remains as an active labour market programme with the emphasis on progression into employment and/or further education and training. The programme is managed within this context, subject to the availability of resources and the needs of participants and the community.

Within the current budgetary constraints, the number of places on CE was increased to 23,300 in 2010. The budgetary provision for CE in 2011 will allow FÁS to continue the programme at the same level as 2010. In delivering these places, FÁS will continue to operate flexibly in the management of this allocation in order to maximise progression to the labour market, while at the same time facilitating the support of community services. There have been no changes to the training budget of CE.

A number of special community employment projects operate under the National Drugs Strategy 2009-2016. As part of the Strategy, FÁS is committed to providing 1,000 places on such projects as part of the overall funding for the community employment programme. The primary objective of the Strategy is to continue to tackle the harm caused to individuals and society by the misuse of drugs. It is my intention to ensure the continuation of such projects subject to the overall budgetary constraints for the community employment programme.

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