Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Question 157: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her Department's statement in relation to community employment schemes outlining that groups can apply to have their training budget increased to €1000 if they make an application to the Department or through their community development organisation been communicated to all CDO's; and if so can the memo be included in her answer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17241/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Following clarification of the changes to the Community Employment (CE) programme announced in Budget 2012, correspondence was sent to the operational staff responsible for the CE programme on the 3rd February 2012. The statement in this correspondence related to the Materials and Training budget allocations as follows:

The baseline amount of the grant remains the €500 per participant announced in the Budget. But there is discretion to make an amount of up to €1,000 per participant available to schemes in respect of the training and materials grant this year, subject to individual schemes providing a clear and transparent demonstration of need for this level of funding. The onus is on sponsors to make the case for the appropriate level of the grant for their individual scheme.

Operational staff were requested to ensure that all those staff involved in discussions with the CE sponsors were to receive a copy of the correspondence, which is attached as requested.