Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1088. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) will be allowed to continue on a community employment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8655/20]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1091. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the contract of a person (details supplied) will be extended in view of the exceptional circumstances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8690/20]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1088 and 1091 together.

CE is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and others with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis. The programme is delivered through independent CE sponsoring bodies that receive state funding from the Department to cover the cost of CE employee remuneration.

Funding for CE supervisors is available until the person reaches the state pension age and they may remain on CE until the working day before they reach the state pension age as follows: 

- 66 for those born before 1 January 1955;

- 67 for those born on or after 1 January 1955; and

- 68 for those born on or after 1 January 1961

CE supervisors may apply for a State Pension on retirement from CE.  If they wish to continue to work beyond the state pension age they may apply for positions that are not state funded or, they can apply to the scheme to work in a voluntary capacity.

CE is a working age activation scheme and CE supervisors who continue to be funded through CE must be of working age.  As you will appreciate, if my Department continued to fund a CE supervisor that has reached the state pension age it would significantly impact on the opportunities for those people who are still of working age and also, would undermine the reputation of CE as an active labour market programme.

Officials from my Department are actively engaging with the CE sponsoring body in question to support the recruitment of a new CE supervisor. 

I wish to acknowledge the valuable and dedicated service that CE sponsoring bodies provide in running CE schemes throughout the country.  CE supervisors, as employees of those organisations, are an integral part of that good work. 

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1089. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will address a matter regarding extensions to community employment schemes (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8659/20]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The aim of the Community Employment (CE) programme is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and unemployed people by providing work experience and training opportunities for participants within their communities.  The programme helps break the cycle of unemployment and improve a person’s chances of returning to the labour market. 

Participation on CE is intended to be for a temporary fixed-term.  I introduced a number of changes to CE in 2017 to broaden access to the CE scheme to a greater number of people on the Live Register and, to standardise the conditions around the length of time a person can remain on a scheme.

During the current Covid-19 emergency, my Department has continued to provide the necessary funding for CE schemes while also introducing a number of contingency measures, including the extension of existing CE participant contracts for the duration of the emergency.

The Department intends to recommence recruitment to the CE Schemes in keeping with the Government's Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business.  Department officials will work with CE sponsoring authorities and existing CE participants to ensure a smooth transition to normal operations over the coming period.