Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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1659. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to allow flexibility for employees on community employment schemes who have reached 65 years of age to remain in employment in those schemes even though they may have completed six years of employment in order that they can continue in employment until they become eligible for pension. [1693/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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At present, there is an initiative in place which allows Community Employment (CE) participants aged 62 or over to apply to extend their participation on CE beyond the standard lifetime participation limits, providing the CE eligibility conditions are met. Participants are allowed to participate on a continuous basis up to the State Pension age, subject to satisfactory performance on the scheme and to annual approval by my Department. The places allocated for these participants, within each individual CE scheme, are limited to 7% of each scheme’s overall budgeted places. This initiative is available nationwide.

I am currently reviewing the rules governing this initiative and I expect this review to be completed shortly.

If a particular participant wants to avail of this initiative, they should contact their local DEASP Intreo office for more information.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.