Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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50. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of vacancies on the rural social, Tús and community employment schemes, respectively; the steps she will take to ensure the places on these schemes are filled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26315/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Work schemes such as Tús and Community Employment (CE) are positive initiatives that enable the long-term unemployed to make a contribution to their communities whilst up-skilling themselves for prospective future employment. The rural social scheme (RSS) provides farmers and fishermen with income support while they also make a contribution to their community. As the Deputy is aware Tús and RSS are delivered and managed at local level through the network of local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta , known as Implementing Bodies (IB’s) and each of them have been awarded a specific quota of Tús and RSS participants, based on their ability to source suitable placements. CE schemes are typically sponsored by groups (known as sponsors) wishing to benefit the local community. My Department agree participant numbers annually with each CE sponsor organisation who are responsible for the recruitment of participants and to identify suitable work placements. As on 9th June 2018, there were 380 participant vacancies on the rural social scheme (RSS) out of the 3,350 available participant places.

The CE scheme has a total of 26,542 approved participant places with 4,850 participant vacancies. The current Tús participant quota is 8,260 reducing to 6,500 before year end. As on 9th June 2018, there were approximately 1,849 participant vacancies nationwide.

The Deputy will appreciate that given the welcome improvements in the labour market in recent years with reducing numbers of long term unemployed on the Live Register, which is the target cohort for CE and Tús, it is proving difficult to fill the number of places available nationwide. To broaden access to these initiatives to a wider range of people, I have introduced a number of changes to the qualifying criteria and since 1st June I am facilitating persons to take up a placement on CE or Tús while also attending their JobPath provider.

My Department have engaged with the Irish Local Development Network (ILDN) – the representative body for the Tús IBs to implement the reduction in participant numbers from 8,260 to 6,500 and a revised funding structure. Given the improved economic and labour market context, I believe that it is entirely appropriate that we examine this area of expenditure to ensure that we deliver best value for the Irish taxpayer and ensure best use is being made of funding in this area.