Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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355. To ask the Minister for Social Protection when the additional 2,000 community employment scheme places announced in Budget 2013 will be rolled out; and which sectors will be given priority. [2606/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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An additional 2,000 places were allocated to Community Employment in the Budget of 2013. The increase in the number of places will be funded from the budget of the Department. These places will be approved on a phased basis from the end of January to December, 2013. The additional places are critical to the continued improvement of CE as outlined in the CE Financial Review of Schemes undertaken by this Department in 2012.

The allocation of places will be informed by the population of long-term unemployed persons in each area, the number of claimants on Jobseekers Allowance, One Parent Family Payment and People with a Disability in receipt of welfare payments for 52 weeks or more. Priority will be given to (a) schemes involved in community childcare services, social and healthcare services and drug rehabilitation services that offer training and development opportunities and work experience to CE participants and (b) those schemes with a clear track record in the development and progression of participants towards employment.