Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

46. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will examine the potential of providing security services under the community employment scheme at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 24 in view of the fact that the school has been the subject of a number of recent crimes and the success of a number of similar schemes in Jobstown and Killinarden, County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3133/15]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The mainstreaming of CE school services was outlined under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness (PPF) and made provision for all schools to have access to school services, with the objective of creating new employment opportunities in these areas and enhance the employment opportunities available to CE participants. The process of withdrawal of CE services from schools began in September 2001 following the announcement by the Minster for Education and Science in August 2001 that this would take effect. FÁS, in consultation with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment put in place implementation guidelines for this process. The budget for schools-based CE schemes was transferred from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to the Department of Education and Science and the number of CE places was reduced accordingly. The scheme in Jobstown is a Job Initiative (JI) programme, which is based in the school premises. However, the JI programme is closed to recruitment since November 2004 by the then Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Michéal Martin, no new JI programmes have commenced since that time.

Schools can no longer sponsor Community Employment (CE) schemes and on this basis, CE participants cannot be employed by schools to work in areas that are directly related to the schools. The provision of security and other services to schools is a matter for the Department of Education and Skills.

Community Employment is an Active Labour Market Programme (ALMP) in place to support and prepare long-term unemployed and other vulnerable people to gain qualifications to enable them to enter the job-market. The work experience provided through CE and the training is determined by the needs of the individual learner on the scheme.