Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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The aim of the Community Employment (CE) programme is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and long-term unemployed people by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their local communities. The programme aims to improve a person’s opportunities to return to the labour market. Participation on CE is on a voluntary basis, and participants are free to resign their positions should they wish to do so.

The person concerned voluntarily resigned his CE position and finished on the 22 July 2022. He has since applied for a Department of Social Protection (DSP) payment. If he wishes to return to his Community Employment position he would need to withdraw that application and contact the Supervisor of the Community Employment scheme regarding same. There are currently vacancies on this scheme and there is no difficulty facilitating a return to CE in this case, once any application for a DSP payment has been withdrawn.

In the meantime officials from the Department will continue to assist the scheme in their efforts to fill their vacancies. I am fully committed to the future of this programme and will continue to support and improve the programme for the benefit of the CE participants in particular given the valuable contribution being made to local communities through the provision of services.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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373. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) who is currently on a community employment scheme and who has been invaluable in their position can have their employment extended; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45661/22]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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The aim of the Community Employment (CE) programme is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and long-term unemployed people by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their local communities. The programme aims to improve a person’s opportunities to return to the labour market. CE placements are intended to be temporary and subject to time limits. This is to ensure the continued availability of places on CE schemes for long-term unemployed candidates. Those who are unemployed and in receipt of an eligible payment for 12 months or more may be eligible to participate on CE.

In light of the Covid related challenges faced by CE schemes the Minister, Deputy Humphreys and I announced a number of reforms to CE since the start of 2022. As part of these reforms and to assist schemes with the transition from Covid emergency supports, 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 is a transitionary provision for supporting schemes to retain services, with the higher-than-normal turnover of participants in 2022. Extensions 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, the type of service provided by the placement along with recruitment and referral efforts. This does provide schemes with additional flexibility to retain participants, where required to maintain services in communities. The current extension period is six months.

The person concerned was due to complete his eligible time on the Community Employment project on 9/9/2022. We can now confirm that he has been extended under current criteria for a maximum period of six months. The new exit date is 10 March 2023. The sponsor has been informed accordingly.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.