Written answers

Tuesday, 5 July 2016

Department of Social Protection

Community Employment Schemes Eligibility

Photo of Brendan GriffinBrendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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302. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he has considered the range of reforms of community employment eligibility recently proposed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19439/16]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Community Employment (CE) is an employment programme with the aim of helping the long-term unemployed to re-enter the workforce by breaking their cycle of unemployment through a return to a regular work routine. CE also provides training and development to participants. The current eligibility criteria for the programme have been expanded over the years. The criteria have been set to specifically target certain groups for the programme. The basic eligibility requirement is that a person is currently in receipt of a CE-qualifying payment from the Department of Social Protection for the requisite period of time, for example jobseeker’s allowance for a minimum period of twelve months.

Recent changes to the eligibility criteria for CE include the reduction in the entry age for CE participants working directly with service users in the childcare sector and social/healthcare sector to 21 years of age. The standard minimum entry age for CE is 25 years of age. The eligibility criteria for participants aged 62 and over have been eased in terms of the maximum duration they can remain on the programme, subject to certain conditions. Customers who are not eligible for the CE programme may be eligible for other interventions from the Department.

The eligibility criteria for CE are kept under review to ensure that it remains fit for purpose and that there is the maximum utilisation of CE places.

However, with the ongoing welcome reductions in the live register, I believe that a review of work schemes, including CE, is necessary to ensure that the number and nature of schemes and the conditions governing participation continue to be appropriate. The Deputy did raise this issue in the House recently and I have asked for your suggested changes to be looked into. I will be considering the various reforms of CE eligibility proposed by the Deputy in this context over the coming months.

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