Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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1220. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection how a person who has worked 48 days out of 365 days and has actively sought work in a 12 month period is not eligible to participate on a community employment scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24587/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The aim of the Community Employment (CE) programme is to enhance the employability of the long-term unemployed and other specified disadvantaged groups by breaking the cycle of unemployment by providing a return to work routine. CE provides quality work experience and training opportunities for participants within their communities, thus improving a person’s chances of returning to the labour market.

CE is not designed to cater for short-term unemployed persons as they are not as far removed from the open labour market. However, breaks from the live register of up to 30 days (i.e. 30 worked days) are permissible within the 12 month CE qualifying period. This ensures that CE continues to respond to its primary target group of long-term unemployed clients and those most distant from the labour market. In circumstances where breaks off the live register exceed 30 days, as in the case referred to where this person has an established work routine, other interventions may be more appropriate. Further information on these is available in the local Intreo centres.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.