Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent)
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340. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if the normal qualifying conditions for a Tús scheme can be wavered for persons that has been referred through a drug treatment programme such as is the case with a community employment scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16001/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Community Employment (CE) drugs rehabilitation places provide opportunities for people in recovery from substance misuse to re-engage in active community and working life. The CE rehabilitation places reflect the Department’s commitment to the National Drugs Strategy with a specific focus on opportunities for the training and development for participants in recovery and working towards rehabilitation.

As the Deputy will be aware, the purpose of Tús is to provide short-term work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year. It is designed to break the cycle of unemployment and maintain work readiness, thereby improving a person’s opportunities of returning to the labour market.

The selection and eligibility conditions for Tús are focused on those on the live register for a year or more and in receipt of a jobseekers’ payment. I consider the current selection process effective and I currently have no proposals to alter these arrangements to include a specific waiver of eligibility conditions for individuals recovering from substance misuse.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.