Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 231: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of community work places that have been allocated under the Tús scheme to a specific geographic area (details supplied); the number of these places that currently remain unfilled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29536/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Tús is a community work placement initiative which will provide up to 5,000 short-term, quality work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year. This initiative is being delivered through the network of local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta in Gaeltacht areas. Each company has been allocated a specific number of placements to fill based on the level of underlying unemployment in the area covered by each company's operations. In county Wicklow, 100 placements have been allocated to Wicklow Partnership Company Limited and 40 to Bray Area Partnership Limited. Both companies are in the process of profiling and recruiting participants referred by this Department and are on course to fill all identified work placements offered by sponsor organisations. To date, 22 participants are in placement with Wicklow Partnership Company and 7 are in placement with Bray Area Partnership. It is expected that the remaining placements will be filled over the coming weeks as profiling of person referred by my Department and Garda Vetting procedures are completed by each company.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 232: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be eligible to apply for a community employment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29541/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The criteria for participating on community employment are based on individual circumstances related to age, length of time unemployed or absent from the labour market and in receipt of qualifying social welfare payments. Under the current community employment eligibility guidelines the person referred to by the Deputy is not eligible to apply for a CE positions as he has not been in receipt of the relevant payment for the required period. The current arrangements require a person in receipt of illness benefit, to be in receipt of same for a minimum of six months.