Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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639. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the amount of the €2.835m allocated for the local authority social employment scheme in 2013 that has been spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45822/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I have allocated €2.835m, from the Dormant Accounts Fund in 2013, to cover once off costs such as health and safety training, personal protective clothing, necessary equipment and materials that will be incurred by local authorities providing placements in the Department of Social Protection's Gateway local authority employment initiative. The scheme will provide short-term quality working opportunities in local authorities for those on the live register for a minimum of two years.

There has been no expenditure to date, as participants have yet to be placed. I expect the first placements to be made shortly on conclusion of selection processes for the initial tranche of participants, with a consequential draw down of monies from the above allocation by local authorities between now and the end of 2013.