Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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43. To ask the Minister for Social Protection his plans to allow the Tús scheme and the community employment schemes to retain current participants even if their term is complete in view of the fact that community groups are finding it difficult to recruit participants and in further view of the fact there are fewer participants available and, as a result, community groups are suffering and are finding it difficult to carry out their work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17614/17]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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50. To ask the Minister for Social Protection his plans to extend the time it is possible for participants to remain on the Tús scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17612/17]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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70. To ask the Minister for Social Protection his plans for the Tús scheme and the community employment schemes in view of the fact that many community groups are finding it difficult to recruit participants and as a result community groups are suffering and are finding it difficult to carry out their work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17613/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 43, 50 and 70 together.

As the Deputies are aware, my Department provides a range of activation supports and programmes catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. These include programmes such as Community Employment (CE) and Tús.

These schemes provide part-time temporary work in local communities, as a stepping-stone back to employment. However, it is important to note that these placements are not full-time sustainable jobs. Instead, they are designed to break the cycle of unemployment and maintain work readiness, thereby improving a person’s opportunities of returning to the labour market or getting a job for the first time. This has to be the ultimate aim.

While the live register is falling, the level of support for work programmes has been maintained. The number of participants on work programmes rose from 25,000 in 2010 and, at the end of December 2016, was just over 32,000. The OECD has noted previously that Ireland was slow to reduce numbers on work programmes when unemployment fell and employment grew.

It is in this context that the Department undertook a comprehensive review of CE and other employment schemes. Overall, it is planned to maintain the overall number of scheme places available in 2017 at 32,000 and CE will account for the bulk of these places. In addition, the changes to be made over the coming months will widen the range of people who can take part in CE and this will improve the availability of people for the schemes which should help to address problems with filling vacancies.

Currently, participants can remain on Tús for 1 year and I have no plans to change this.

The Government is very mindful of the large number of places involved in service delivery and other valuable services around the country. In advance of implementing the changes consultations with stakeholders will be facilitated in the coming weeks.