James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

304. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if his Department will examine the case of a person (details supplied) who wishes to continue in a community employment scheme position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5571/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The person concerned commenced on Community Employment (CE) on 24^thSeptember 2012. He has an entitlement of up to six years (312 weeks) on CE, which would allow him to remain on CE until September 2018, subject to the renewal of the current scheme which is due to end on 2^ndJune 2017 and the agreement of the Sponsoring Body.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

305. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason persons that are in receipt of payment from his Department and would like work experience and training suited to them are not allowed on the community employment scheme when the spaces cannot be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5572/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Community Employment (CE) is a labour market activation programme which helps long-term unemployed people (those 12 months or more in receipt of a jobseeker’s payment) and other disadvantaged groups to re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to work routine. The programme assists participants to enhance and develop skills which can then be used in the workplace. The Department’s priority in supporting CE is ensuring access to schemes that can provide jobseekers and other vulnerable groups with good quality work experience and training qualifications to support their progression into employment.

The criteria for participating on CE are based on age and length of time in receipt of various qualifying working age social welfare payments.

Those persons not meeting the criteria, for example, those who are signing for credits, or are receiving social welfare benefits from a different country, are not eligible to participate on CE. Persons who are engaged with the JobPath programme are also ineligible for CE for the duration of their participation on JobPath, but are immediately eligible upon exiting this programme.

With the ongoing welcome reductions in the Live Register, the Deputy will appreciate that issues such as the appropriate level of expenditure, the number of places and the criteria for participation on employment schemes, such as CE, all need to be considered. I hope to bring a Memo to Government in the coming weeks about these matters. If there are changes to be made, consultations with stakeholders will be facilitated.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

306. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the practice in which persons in receipt of jobseeker's payments that take up temporary employment for a period are then prevented from entering a community employment scheme until they are on jobseeker's payments again for 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5574/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 basic eligibility requirement is that a person is currently in receipt of a CE-qualifying payment from my Department for the requisite period of time, for example jobseeker’s allowance for a minimum period of twelve months. Breaks off the Live Register (worked days) up to a maximum of 30 days within the 12 months prior to the CE application are allowed in assessing eligibility for the CE programme. The 30 days can be any combination of single days or consecutive days.In these circumstances, a person does not have to wait 12 months on a jobseeker’s payment after their last worked day to be eligible for CE.

Persons who are not eligible for the CE programme may be eligible for other interventions from my 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.

With the ongoing welcome reductions in the Live Register, the Deputy will appreciate that issues such as the appropriate level of expenditure, the number of places and the criteria for participation on employment schemes all need to be considered. I hope to bring a Memo to Government in the coming weeks about these matters. If there are changes to be made, consultations with stakeholders will be facilitated.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.