Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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42. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the duration of community employment schemes will be extended. [18483/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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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 period.  In general the period of participation on CE is for one year; however CE participants working towards a major award or industry qualification can seek to extend participation by up to a further two years subject to them continuing to pursue that qualification.

Places on CE will continue to be available to support those who are long-term unemployed and furthest removed from the labour market while sustaining the reputation of CE as an active labour market programme.  I am very conscious that the labour market has been adversely affected by the impact of the Covid-19 virus with a significant increase in unemployment.  There will be a necessity to ensure that my Department can provide as many opportunities for CE placements as possible in the period ahead.  Any extension of the existing duration limits will therefore limit the capacity of the Department to provide additional placements.