Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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 on a temporary fixed term basis.

All Community Employment companies are required to adhere to relevant corporate governance, financial and legislative responsibility requirements.

The Community Employment scheme concerned has amalgamated with another Community Employment scheme and is in the process of being wound up. Where a Community Employment company ceases trading they are required to comply with their statutory obligations and will be responsible for any associated costs. Final reconciliation will be carried out in respect of any outstanding debts/ obligations to creditors and /or the Department of Social Protection. The Community Employment company must have a record of all financial transactions of the project which must be supported by the submission of an independent, professionally certified, Auditors Income & Expenditure Statement. The Auditors Income & Expenditure Statement should be returned by the Community Employment company to the Department of Social Protection within six weeks of the project finish date. The payment for the final 4 weeks of the project will be withheld pending receipt of the Auditors Statement and the other required documentation.

I can confirm that my officials are actively engaging with the organisation concerned and that they will provide appropriate financial assistance to help them submit their Auditor’s statement. This will enable the organisation to proceed with an orderly windup of the company.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.