Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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491. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the way in which, and the area from which, the €2.5 million additional funding announced in budget 2019 for the materials budget of community employment schemes has been spent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41055/19]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Community Employment (CE) is aimed at quality projects that provide excellent work experience that will assist a person participating on CE to enter the open labour market on exit from the scheme. The programme supports voluntary and community companies to provide local services for their communities.

CE sponsors receive annual contracts from my Department which fund the employment of both CE participants and supervisors. Funding is also provided towards training and material costs. The materials provision covers all consumable services and materials necessary for the effective operation of the CE project including such items as Employers and Public Liability Insurances, tools, stationery, audit fees, bank charges (excluding bank interest), protective clothing and hire of equipment. The material payment enables sponsors to deliver the programme.

Material funding is provided to CE sponsors in accordance with their requirements. I provided an additional materials funding of €2m in Budget 2019. This additional provision has been allocated to projects that required this additional funding as set out above.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.