Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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49. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide clarification on the situation concerning those mothers working in the home and their ability to receive a token social welfare payment which would allow them to access community employment schemes and other training in preparation of returning to full-time work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18844/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The core eligibility criterion for CE is that the person is in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment, as defined on the Department’s website. This requirement is based on Government policy and Departmental guidelines and has been the rule since CE commenced in 1994. They may, however, be eligible for participation on other programmes, although they may not qualify for payment of an allowance e.g. FÁS training courses. Such persons are advised to contact their local Employment Services Office or Intreo office (where available) where an Employment Services Officer will be happy to discuss the employment and training options that are open to them. There are no proposals currently under consideration in regard to making changes to the national operation of the Community Employment Programme. Within the current very difficult budgetary constraints, the number of places on Community Employment is being expanded up to 25,300 by the end of 2013.