Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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471. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will allow a person (details supplied) to continue involvement in a community employment scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9584/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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A person with less than 3 years on the live register immediately prior to commencing on CE, regardless of age, is only eligible to participate on CE under the Part Time Integration option. A person, who is over 35 years of age, with three years or more on the live register immediately prior to commencing on CE, is eligible to participate on CE under the Part Time Job option.

The Community Employment Procedures Manual, Section 1.1. (a) defines the Part Time Integration option as “a 12-month work programme with training and development opportunities. This option offers eligible participants part-time work and training for one year. Specific progression placement targets are set for participants on this option. In certain circumstances some participants may be re-engaged for a consecutive 12 months, with DSP approval, where this is deemed to further their employment prospects”. This extension is subject to the criteria set out in Section 3.1.1.3 of the CE Procedures Manual.

Under the Part Time Integration option a person may be eligible to participate on a CE Programme for a maximum continuous period of 2 years, their continued participation being subject to annual approval by the Department. After this two year period has elapsed, they must spend at least another 12 months on the live register before they are again eligible to participate on Community Employment.

The person concerned started on the Community Support Services Blanchardstown CE Scheme on 21 July 2014. Their participation has been extended on one occasion since then, their due finish date on the scheme is 15 July 2016, at which point they will have completed two years on the scheme. The person concerned is not eligible to participate further on the scheme beyond this date. Under the rules governing participation on CE, should they spend a further 12 months on the live register before they may again become eligible to participate on CE.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.