Written answers

Wednesday, 21 April 2021

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Community Employment Schemes

Photo of Mick BarryMick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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1132. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will support the demands from community employment supervisors to access an occupational pension scheme and for the same rights as other workers in the public sector carrying out identical or similar work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18904/21]

Photo of Joe O'BrienJoe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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The Community Employment Scheme (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. The contract agreement between the Department and the CE sponsoring authorities establishes their role as an independent contractor. CE sponsoring authorities are the legal employers of CE supervisors, CE assistant supervisors and CE participants.

The CE sponsoring authorities receive state funding to cover the cost of supervisor, assistant supervisor and participant remuneration, training and material costs from the Department. It should be recognised that CE supervisors and assistant supervisors are not public servants or employees of the Department or the state.

The State is not responsible for funding pension arrangements for employees of private companies, even where the companies in question are reliant on State funding. Pension arrangements are a matter to be agreed between employees and their employers.

As the Deputy will be aware, CE supervisors and assistant supervisors have been seeking for several years, through their union representatives, the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme for CE supervisors who are employed by CE schemes.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform had to have regard to any potential Exchequer exposure associated with dealing with the specific issue relating solely to CE supervisors arising from the Labour Court recommendation. Any proposal to resolve this specific issue, can and will only apply to CE supervisors and assistant supervisors.

Within this context, officials from my Department and Department of Public Expenditure and Reform held discussions on proposals to progress and resolve this issue over the past number of months, while having regard to the wider budgetary framework. Officials from my Department also held discussions with unions representing CE supervisors and assistant supervisors during the same period.

I am very pleased to report that there has been a positive outcome from the discussions between both Departments, late last week. On Friday last, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Minister McGrath and my colleague Minister Humphreys reached agreement in principle on proposals to resolve this issue. This includes a financial package.

These proposals have been put to the unions representing CE supervisors and assistant supervisors over recent days and I am optimistic that this will bring the matter to a resolution.

Minister Humphreys and I will continue to support CE for the benefit of the CE participants and the valuable contribution being made to local communities.

Photo of Gino KennyGino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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1134. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an update in relation to the ongoing community employment supervisors pension issue; if plans are in place for a pay rise for supervisors given that there has been no increase since 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19000/21]

Photo of Joe O'BrienJoe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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The Community Employment Scheme (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 who are the legal employers of their CE supervisors, CE assistant supervisors and CE participants. CE sponsoring authorities receive state funding to cover the cost of remuneration, training and material costs from the Department. CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors are not public servants or employees of the Department.

CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors were not subject to the pay reductions, Additional Superannuation Contributions (ASC) or the Pension-related Deduction (PRD) under the provisions of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) Acts which only applied to public servants. CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors have therefore not benefitted from the related restoration of those civil and public service pay cuts that has been ongoing since 2016.

As the Deputy will be aware, CE supervisors and assistant supervisors have been seeking for several years, through their union representatives, the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme for CE supervisors who are employed by CE schemes.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform had to have regard to any potential Exchequer exposure associated with dealing with the specific issue relating solely to CE supervisors arising from the Labour Court recommendation. Any proposal to resolve this specific issue, can and will only apply to CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors.

It has been within this context that officials from my Department and Department of Public Expenditure and Reform held discussions on proposals to progress and resolve this issue over the past number of months, while having regard to the wider budgetary framework. Officials from my Department also held discussions with unions representing CE supervisors and assistant supervisors during the same period.

I am very pleased to report there has been a successful outcome to the discussions between both Departments late last week. On Friday last, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Minister McGrath and my colleague Minister Humphreys reached agreement in principle on proposals to resolve this issue. This includes a financial package.

These proposals have been put to the unions representing CE supervisors and assistant supervisors in recent days and I am optimistic that this will bring this matter to a speedy resolution.

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