Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 402: To ask the Minister for Social Protection when the proposed changes to the community employment schemes will be implemented; the way the proposed changes will affect lone parents, persons with disabilities and community employment schemes with a participation below 15 persons; and will there be compulsory redundancies. [41459/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Changes to the allowances paid to certain participants on the Community Employment programme will come into effect on January 16th 2012. The changes to the payment of concurrent allowances to Lone Parents and Persons with a Disability will only apply to new entrants after January 16th . A new entrant is a person who has not participated on Community Employment in the preceding 12 months. The Department of Social Protection income-maintenance payment will cease for new entrants in receipt of the following payments;

One Parent Family Payment

Deserted Wife's Benefit

Widow/Widowers contribution Pension

Disability Allowance

Blind Pension

Illness Benefit

Invalidity Pension

The payment of concurrent allowances for a Qualified Child Dependent will end from January 16th 2012 for all existing and new entrants. Participants with such an entitlement will continue to receive this payment from the Department of Social Protection.

There is no specific change announced in relation to projects with 15 or less participants. There is no proposal to introduce compulsory redundancies.