Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 311: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she is planning to cut funding by 66% at a nursery (details supplied) in Dublin 10 making it impossible for the creche to stay open. [3930/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Community Employment programme provides a very important and valued contribution to social employment, training and progression for unemployed people. Furthermore, many Community Employment schemes provide vital community services right across the country.

There are currently 1,143 CE schemes in operation nationally with 23,300 participants. The overall estimated budget stands at €315,194 million for 2012. As this area has only recently come under the Department of Social Protection, I have asked for an initial review of the financial resources of all schemes to be completed in March 2012. Standard templates have been developed and issued to the employment officers involved. The review will be carried out between local CE sponsors and the Departmental employment officer responsible for the scheme under local management.

The discussion that will be undertaken with schemes will be conducted in an enabling manner and all support possible will be provided to help the schemes to remain viable. Development officers are currently making initial contact with schemes. In addition to these local discussions, discussion and consultation with the main representative bodies and stakeholders involved in schemes will take place over the coming weeks in relation to funding.

Separately the former FÁS Research unit has been asked to complete a strategic value for money review of a number of schemes administered by the Department. Community Employment will be reviewed as part of this exercise. This outcome of this review will guide future policy development and is expected to be completed by the end of March. Following on from changes to the training and materials grant for Community Employment schemes announced in Budget 2012 I have made a commitment that no Community Employment Scheme would close pending the completion of this review.

The Government has been clear that in the event that the changes in the training and material grant announced in the Budget create financial difficulties for schemes, the Department of Social Protection will continue to provide funding for those schemes and funding has been made available in this context. Community employment participants can continue to avail of education and training programmes that are available to them free of charge from existing State funded providers. This facility will also form part of the arrangements that will be developed as part of the establishment of SOLAS.