Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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202. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if new severance packages for supervisors of community employment schemes have been agreed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39113/15]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The position is that the Department of Social Protection currently allocates a significant level of Exchequer funding to private companies in the community sector who are contracted to deliver the CE Scheme programme. This includes the subsidies which are currently provided towards the pay of CE Supervisors. However the Department of Social Protection is not the employer of CE Supervisors and CE Supervisors are not public servants.

Unions representing CE Supervisors have sought the provision of funding to implement a range of Labour Court recommendations for enhanced severance arrangements in respect of employees in the Community Sector. However it was not possible for the State to provide funding for enhanced severance arrangements to employees of private companies in these cases even if those companies are or were reliant on State funding.

Notwithstanding this the matter has remained under review and I recently held a constructive meeting with SIPTU and IMPACT trade unions in relation to the position of CE Supervisors. Having listened to their respective positions I have reconvened the Community Sector Informal Forum which ceased operation some years ago in order that this matter is fully examined.

I anticipate that the Forum will commence work in the coming weeks and I expect that it will produce a final report for consideration over the next number of months.