Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 139: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding community employment schemes (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9120/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The purpose of Tús is the provision of quality short-term work for those who are unemployed for over a year. The aim is to break the cycle of unemployment and to improve a person's opportunities and readiness to return to the labour market.

I can confirm that €84m has been allocated towards Tús under the 2012 REV, to allow for the engagement of 5,000 persons on Tús, (ie full implementation of the initiative). In 2011, an allocation of €30m was allocated towards the phased rollout of the initiative.

Separately, the Tús Scheme and CE Schemes are included in a policy review of the overall range of employment support, activation and work schemes operated by the Department).

The aim of the review is to assess the schemes, individually and in combination, "in the light of their contribution to the Department's policy objective of supporting people of working age into employment" and to "recommend any changes to the current range of schemes/programmes seen as required on the basis of the analysis carried out".