Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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666. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will review the Tús and community employment schemes regarding scheme participants who are over 60 years of age and considered by the local scheme coordinator to be unlikely to transition back into full-time employment in order that their participation in community work can be extended beyond the current time restrictions with no cost to the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42645/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, my Department provides a range of activation supports catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. These supports include employment schemes such as Community Employment (CE) and Tús. These schemes provide part-time temporary work in local communities, as a stepping stone back to employment. The objective of these schemes is to break the cycle of unemployment and maintain work readiness, thereby improving a person’s opportunities in returning to the labour market.

All participants and community groups are aware of the time limits for participation on these schemes. The participation limits aim to ensure the benefit of participation on a work scheme is available to the widest possible number of jobseekers. In addition, it is generally recognised that there is a greater likelihood of a ‘lock–in’ effect where a scheme is of a longer duration.

With the ongoing welcome reductions in the live register, issues such as the number of places, the criteria for participation on Tús, including age limits, will all be considered in the coming months. A review of the current rule for CE, which enables a percentage of those aged 62 or over to participate on a continuous basis up to the State Pension age, is currently underway and is expected to be finalised in the coming weeks.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.