Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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154. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the provisions in place for community employment scheme employees to work from home during level 3 and 4 restrictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31870/20]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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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 authorities that receive state funding from the Department to cover the cost of CE employee remuneration.

CE sponsoring authorities are the legal employers of their CE supervisors, CE assistant supervisors and CE participants. The Department’s role continues to be that of CE funder.  As employers, CE sponsoring authorities' annual contract with the Department,  is to provide jobseekers and other vulnerable groups with good quality work experience and training qualifications to support their progression into employment. Like all other employers and service providers, including those in the community sector, CE sponsoring authorities are facing challenges during the current pandemic.

From the outset of the  Covid-19 emergency, the Department took the decision to continue to fund all of the employment support schemes in order to provide stability for the respective schemes and their employees.   In parallel, sponsoring authorities were reminded by Department officials of their responsibilities as regards  the health, safety and wellbeing of their employees.   Department officials continue to communicate with CE sponsoring authorities on the need to fully adhere to public health guidelines and legislation on the COVID 19 emergency at all level of restrictions including Level 5 restrictions, that the entire country is moving into from  midnight on Wednesday night.  

However it is the responsibility of CE sponsoring authorities to ensure that they are adhering to the public health guidelines and legislation in place at the various levels of COVID 19 restrictions as set out  in the Government's  Resilience and Recovery; Plan for Living with Covid 19. This includes arrangements for working remotely as required by that Plan, at differing levels of restrictions.  

My Department will continue to liaise with CE sponsoring authorities to ensure access to necessary funding throughout the ongoing pandemic.