Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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390. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has considered extending the cost-of-living €500 lump sum payment included in budget 2023 to those on community employment schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2831/23]

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 participants' opportunities to return to work in the open labour market.

Budget 2023 was designed to assist recipients of Social Protection payments with Cost-of-Living increases through a mix of lump sum payments, increases to weekly payment rates and an expansion of the Fuel Allowance scheme.

CE participant wage rates are determined by their underlying social welfare payment (called the scheduled rate) at the time of commencement, subject to a minimum payment. The minimum payment on CE increased as part of Budget 2023 from €230.50 to €247.50 per week, from January 2023. Those in receipt of an increase for a Qualified Child also benefitted from a €2 weekly increase, while those in receipt of an Increase for a Qualified Adult benefitted from an additional €8 weekly increase.

In addition, a number of once off bonus payments were announced in Budget 2023, which benefitted eligible CE participants, including a once off payment of €400 for those in receipt of the Fuel Allowance and a €200 lump sum payment for those in receipt of a Living Alone Allowance. These are in addition to the Autumn Cost of Living double week payment, the double payment of Child Benefit in November and the Christmas double payment made in December 2022.

The Cost-of-Living Disability Support Grant (€500) was paid to people in receipt of a disability allowance, invalidity pension and blind persons pension. It was not payable to participants on CE.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.