Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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112. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has any plans to change the eligibility criteria for CE schemes to include persons in direct provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15164/23]

Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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118. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will extend eligibility for CE schemes to people in direct provision, as has been done for Ukrainian refugees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15203/23]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 118 together.

The aim of Community Employment (CE) is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and unemployed persons by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their communities. In addition, it helps long-term unemployed people to re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to work routine.Participation on CE is for a 12 month period with the participant working 19.5 hours a week. The general rule to qualify for participation on CE is to be in receipt of a qualifying payment for 12 months or more.

Any person who has been granted Refugee status is eligible to apply for CE. However, International Protection Applicants who are in direct provision are not eligible for CE as they are not in receipt of a qualifying payment.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.