Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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204. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the caps that have recently been put in place regarding the number of community employment workers that may be employed on a project. [47557/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Work schemes such as 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. This scheme helps to break the cycle of unemployment and improve a person’s chances of returning to the labour market.

CE schemes are typically sponsored by groups (known as sponsors) wishing to benefit the local community. My Department agrees participant numbers annually with each CE sponsor organisation who are responsible for the recruitment of participants and for identifying suitable work placements.

The CE scheme has a budget to support approximately 21,900 participant places in 2018 and 21,500 places in 2019. At the end of October, there was a total of 21,243 participants on the scheme.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.