Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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482. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if consideration has been given to introducing a travel stipend to support community employment participants in rural communities, given the ongoing cost of living crisis and increasing cost of fuel and limited public transport in many rural areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49502/22]

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. Participation on the scheme is part time - 19.5 hours per week.

Currently payment rates on CE are related to the underlying value of certain social protection payments plus €22.50 per week - with a minimum payment of €230 per week to participants. In addition, a participant may be eligible for payments in respect of any qualified dependent adult and children.

Under Budget 2023, CE participants will receive an increase in weekly payments arising from the increase in core social welfare payments of €12 per week, in addition to the increase in the weekly CE allowance of €5; bringing the minimum payment for participants to €247.50 per week. Additionally, there will be proportional increases for qualified adults and people on reduced rates of payment. The weekly payments for qualified child dependents will increased by €2 to €50 for children aged 12 or over and €40 for children aged up to 12. These increases will also benefit eligible CE participants.

The provision of rural transport falls under the remit of my colleague, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan. However, it is worth noting that Minister Ryan has announced the retention of the 20% average reduction on public transport fares along with continued enhancements to the public transport network with the roll-out of new services through Connecting Ireland over the coming year. There are no plans at this time to introduce a travel stipend as suggested by the Deputy .

Under Budget 2023, Government also introduced an extensive package of measures, aimed at tackling the cost of living increases. These measures include a double weeks payment to social welfare customers in mid-October, a double month child benefit payment in November, a €600 credit on electricity bills and additional fuel allowance payments. These payments will also be provided to CE participants to assist with their cost-of-living challenges.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.