Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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161. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the qualifying criteria and eligibility conditions for a person that wishes to participate in a community employment scheme who is over 55 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4944/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The aim of Community Employment (CE) is to enhance the employability and mobility of disadvantaged and unemployed persons by providing work experience and training opportunities within their communities. CE participants are required to work 19.5 hours on a weekly basis.

Current eligibility to participate on CE is linked to a person’s social welfare status (duration of payment) and age. The standard minimum entry age for CE is 25 years of age.

The CE Programme has two options:

- Part Time Integration Option (PTI) provides for 1 year on CE for those who have been in receipt of qualifying social welfare payments for 12 months or more;

- Part Time Job Option (PTJ) for persons age 35 years and over provides for up to 3 years on CE for those who have been in receipt of qualifying social welfare payments for 3 years or more; and

- In addition, the current criteria for participants aged 55 and over allows for a maximum cumulative duration on CE of 6 years (7 years if they were in receipt of a disability payment, inclusive of any time spent on CE while aged under 55).

If the person calls to their local Intreo office, they can clarify their eligibility. Details of CE eligibility criteria are published on the Department’s website (welfare.ie) and on the Citizens Information website (citizensinformation.ie).

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.