Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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421. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will further extend community employment scheme placements that are due to end to allow participants to complete courses and training they missed due to Covid-19 restrictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28192/21]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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Community Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis.

My Department has continued to support CE since the onset of the Covid-19 emergency in March 2020, including the ongoing provision of funding and the introduction of contract extensions during level-5 periods of restrictions. CE participants, whose contracts were due to end during the latest Level-5 restrictions have had their contracts extended to the 2nd July 2021. Over 7,000 CE and Tús participants are benefitting from this latest extension which applies to all CE and Tús participants whose contracts were due to finish since end-October 2020. Department officials are continuing to monitor the situation while keeping the current extended contract end-date currently under active review.

It is important to note that when CE participants are eventually due to finish on their respective schemes, this will be undertaken on a coordinated, phased basis over a number of months. This will assist the recruitment of new CE participants and ensure service continuity for the CE schemes. It will also provide further opportunities for CE participants to complete their CE placement and finish any outstanding training.

However, where a CE participant finishes up on their CE scheme without completing the training outlined in their Individual Learning Plan and if unfortunately, they remain unemployed, they may continue their development through a range of training supports provided by my Department such as the Training Support Grant and the Back to Education Allowance. Department case officers are available to engage with former CE participants to discuss the available options.

The priority for my Department is to ensure that all employment and activation programmes have the best outcomes for participants, including those whose participation has been adversely affected during the pandemic and that CE schemes are supported over the forthcoming period as they re-commence more normal service levels.

I am fully committed to the future of these programmes and will continue to support and improve the programmes for the benefit of the CE participants and the valuable contribution being made to local communities throughout the country.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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422. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if community employment scheme eligibility will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28193/21]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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On clarification with the Deputy's Office, the PQ relates to the requirement for participants to finish on CE at state pension age while there are difficulties with recruitment in some rural areas.

The Community Employment Scheme (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons 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 certain costs including CE participant wages.

CE is a working age activation scheme and CE participants who continue to be funded through CE must be of working age. As a consequence, funding for CE participants is provided up until a CE participant reaches the state pension age. CE participants may apply for a state pension upon reaching the existing state pension age.

As the Deputy will appreciate, if my Department continued to fund CE participants after they reach the state pension age, it would significantly impact on the opportunities for those who are long-term unemployed and would undermine the reputation of CE as an active labour market programme. The Department will therefore not extend participation on CE beyond the state pension age at this time.

I am also very aware of the challenges caused by the Covid-19 public health restrictions and the adverse impact on a number of rural and urban CE schemes in recruiting new CE participants.

My Department has continued to support CE since the onset of the Covid-19 emergency in March 2020, including the ongoing provision of funding and the introduction of contract extensions during level-5 periods of restriction. CE participants, whose contracts were due to end during the latest Level-5 restrictions have had their contracts extended to the 2nd July 2021. Over 7,000 CE and Tús participants are benefitting from the latest extension which applies to participants whose contracts were due to finish since end-October 2020. Department officials will continue to monitor the situation while keeping the current extended contract end-date under review.

One of the measures included in the Jobs Stimulus package announced by Government in July, 2020 was an increase in the capacity of the Public Employment Service in Intreo Offices and through contracted services to further support jobseekers through job search advice and assistance. These additional resources will be central to meeting the increased demand for services, including an increased demand for new CE candidate referrals now that the country is in the process of exiting Level-5 restrictions.

CE sponsoring authorities are continuing to be encouraged by my Department officials to promote awareness of the benefits of CE in their local communities and when advertising vacancies. They can advertise their vacancies on www.jobsireland.ie, the Department's online job advertising and recruitment service for job candidates and employers, including CE sponsors.

My priority is to ensure that all CE schemes are in a position to fully resume services over the coming months in accordance with the phased opening up of the economy, while continuing to comply with public health restrictions.

I am fully committed to the future of CE and will continue to support and improve the programme for the benefit of the CE participants and the valuable contribution being made to local communities throughout the country.