Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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603. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that community employment schemes providing drug rehabilitation services are finding it difficult to recruit youth support and drugs rehabilitation support workers; if she will review the regulations in relation to eligibility for these schemes in order to deal with this problem; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14252/22]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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As the Deputy is aware, these Community Employment (CE) drug rehabilitation schemes have a very significant social inclusion focus, are well embedded in our local communities nationally and are generally engaged in significant levels of local service support and delivery. The role of the service support worker is crucial in providing these services.

I refer to your question on behalf of Kilbarrack Coastal Community Programme (KCCP) regarding difficulty experienced recruiting CE participants as youth support and drug rehabilitation support workers. I understand that KCCP Scheme has 42 approved CE places with 33 of these places currently filled. Where vacancies occur on CE schemes, eligible candidates are identified by my Department’s activation services and are referred to fill placements on CE schemes. Jobseekers can also register their interest through www.jobsireland.ie, the Department’s online job advertising and recruitment service website or by contacting a case officer in their local Intreo Centre. CE candidates are then referred to the CE scheme once their eligibility has been confirmed and CE is considered a suitable activation measure for that jobseeker.  Referrals are being made to KCCP by the Department's activation service; however, some of the candidates referred unfortunately have not been deemed suitable for the specific roles being sought.  

In order to support these schemes, Minister Humphreys and I have extended funding for CE participant contracts up until the 8th April.  Participants with extended contracts will leave schemes in a phased coordinated manner over the following twelve months.

In a further change intended to assist with the transition from COVID emergency supports over the next period, participants, including those with extended contracts, may not be required to leave CE, where a suitable replacement has not yet been referred to the scheme.  This transitionary provision will support schemes to retain services, with the higher-than-normal turnover of participants in 2022.  Any extension under this provision must be approved by officials from the Department and consideration will be given to the impact of COVID on the recruitment of participants, services provided by schemes, along with recruitment and referral efforts.

I believe that these changes will greatly support the recruitment of new CE participants and at this stage I have no plans to further review the eligibility criteria for CE participants on drug rehabilitation schemes.

I trust this clarifies the matter.