Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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50. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the plans in place to protect the future of community employment schemes in view of their value to community organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42369/14]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Community Employment (CE) schemes provide a very important and valued contribution to social employment, training and progression to employment/further education for unemployed people. Furthermore, many CE schemes provide vital community services across the country.

There are currently 1,021 CE schemes in operation nationally with 25,300 places available. The number of places for CE was increased by 2,000 places in 2014 and these will be fully drawn down in 2015. I have protected the number of places on CE so that long-term unemployed persons and the most vulnerable in our society can continue to avail of CE and to underpin the valuable services being provided to local communities through the various schemes.