Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 492: To ask the Minister for Social Protection her plans, if any, to maintain personal assistant services for persons with disabilities through community employment schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17732/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I acknowledge the valuable contribution made by Community Employment Projects in providing a personal assistant service to both participants and the community. However due to the current economic circumstances, this Department has had to find significant savings in the Budget for 2012. The reduction only applies to the grant for materials and training and represents a reduction of 7.5% of the overall expenditure on Community Employment in 2011. The allowance grants for Supervisors are unchanged, as are the working hours for staff employed under Community Employment. There will be no decrease in the number of Community Employment places allocated to this sector in 2012.

Department officials have met with representatives of these projects on a number of occasions and are very mindful of the challenges facing these centres and are very supportive within the parameters set down for Community Employment.