Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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271. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a matter relating to the community employment scheme (details supplied) will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48958/21]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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As the Deputy is aware, the Community Employment (CE) Scheme 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 to improve their prospect of returning to employment.

I am very aware of the challenges resulting from the COVID-19 emergency and the related public health restrictions, including the adverse impact on a number of rural and urban CE schemes in recruiting new CE participants. My Department has continued to support CE schemes throughout the period and introduced a number of emergency measures including the extension of CE participants’ contracts when necessary.

Earlier this week, the Minister for Social Protection, Minister Humphreys, and I announced a further funding for contract extensions to 4th February 2022 for existing CE and Tús participants. These final contract extensions will provide existing CE participants with additional time to complete their training and benefit from work experience, which may have been adversely affected by public health restrictions.

I can reassure the Deputy that the planned exits will be carried out in a coordinated and phased basis from February 2022. This phased exit approach will support the recruitment of new CE participants while ensuring the ongoing delivery of important local community services.

It is important to note that one of the measures included in the Pathways to Work Strategy announced by Government in July, 2021 was an increase in the capacity of the Public Employment Service in Intreo Offices and contracted services to further support jobseekers through the provision of job search advice and assistance. These additional resources will be central to meeting the increased demand for employment support services arising from the impact of the pandemic, including the referral of new candidates to fill existing CE vacancies.

CE sponsoring authorities are encouraged by the Department to continue to promote the benefits of CE in their local communities. Jobseekers interested in participating on CE can also contact a case officer in their Intreo Centre who will refer eligible candidates to local CE schemes. My Department officials are continuing to work with local CE sponsoring authorities to identify suitable CE candidates.

CE sponsoring authorities can also advertise vacancies on www.jobsireland.ie, the Department’s online job advertising and recruitment service for jobseekers and employers.

CE participants over the age of 62 can participate on a continuous basis up to the state pension age on the CE Service Support Stream. Up to 10% of CE places are allocated to the Service Support Stream and there are 1,400 CE participants currently availing of the stream; there are approximately 500 places currently available nationally.

In order to ensure that all employment and activation programmes have the best outcomes for participants, CE will continue to be made available to support those who are long term unemployed and furthest removed from the labour market, including those whose employment has been impacted by COVID-19.

The eligibility criteria for CE, including the baseline year of 2007 and the length of time persons can participate on CE, are kept under active review by my Department officials to ensure the best outcomes for individual participants and to support the vital community services delivered by schemes.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.