James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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444. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) in County Longford may not acquire an exemption to continue in their role as community employment supervisor of a project in County Longford due to the fact that they will reach the age of 66 years of age in October 2013, and will not be eligible to be funded under her Department beyond that age, despite the fact that this is a very versatile, fit person and a very able bodied supervisor; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27526/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Community Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme/intervention designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons (including lone parents, recovering drug misusers and those with a disability) with an opportunity to engage in useful part-time work within their communities on a temporary, fixed-term basis. CE helps unemployed people to re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to a work routine and to assist them to enhance/develop both their technical and personal skills by providing opportunities for individual training and development.

The person concerned will reach the age of 66 years in October 2013 and will qualify for a state pension from this Department. Persons who reach the age of 66 years are required to finish their participation time on CE.