Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Question 218: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will clarify the situation in relation to the instruction given by SIPTU in recent months to the operators of community employment schemes that trainees on community schemes should not perform jobs for which they are qualified; if her attention has been drawn to this fact; if she has given approval or accepted the SIPTU ruling; if FÁS/SOLAS management has advised that it has accepted the SIPTU ruling; the reason an unemployed electrician cannot do a one-hour electrical repair job for the community employment scheme on which they are working; the reason a trainee on a community employment scheme should be denied the opportunity to keep in touch with their qualifications by dictate from SIPTU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29747/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I have been informed by FÁS that the Community Employment National Monitoring Committee, which is made up of representatives of the Social Partners and FÁS staff, meets at regular intervals to ensure that Community Employment projects do not lead to the displacement or replacement of workers/employees. As part of the overall approval process, Community Employment projects obtain approval from the relevant Union as part of the application process. SIPTU recently issued a questionnaire to applying projects. This questionnaire was not agreed by FÁS or the National Monitoring Committee. FÁS met with SIPTU and proposed an alternative document to assist in the process. This document will be circulated shortly to CE sponsors for use in completing their application so as to satisfy FÁS and the Social Partners that none of the positions being applied for will result in the displacement or replacement of any workers/employees.