David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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44. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the measures in place to support the creation of jobs in the social economy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4066/15]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Support for job creation in all sectors, including the social economy, is a matter for the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. I understand that the Deputy’s question is broader in nature and relates to supports that are available to not-for-profit companies and organisations under various work placement and training programmes. The key programme providing supports to the community, voluntary and not-for-profit sectors is Community Employment (CE) using a combination of training and related on-the-job placement. CE is also available in some public sector employment, mainly with local authorities. Two other programmes provide support in the form of work placements exclusively to the community and voluntary sectors. These are the Rural Social Scheme and Tús – the community work placement initiative. Both of these schemes are delivered through local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta in gaeltacht areas.

The Community Services Programme provides supports in the form of wage subsidies to not-for-profit companies and co-operatives providing services of a social inclusion nature or where services are not provided due to lack of demand or other factors. Private and not-for-profit employers may also access JobsPlus which provides a wage subsidy to employers who employ jobseekers who have been on the live register for periods of 12 months or more.

In addition, a variety of supports are available from the Department to employers who provide employment opportunities to persons with a disability.

Further details in relation to all of these schemes are available on the Department’s website –