Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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Community Employment (CE) is a labour market activation programme which provides eligible people with an opportunity to engage in work and training opportunities within their communities. The programme aims to improve participants' opportunities to return to work in the open labour market. A person’s time in CE is temporary so that opportunities for work experience on these schemes continue to be available for people who are eligible to participate, which includes people who are long-term unemployed and those furthest removed from the labour market.

The current period of participation in CE by the person concerned commenced on 14th May 2018 and his standard eligible time in CE was due to end on 7th May 2021. A number of extensions of time for his continued participation were granted in the intervening period. However, as the CE sponsoring organisation of the scheme on which he is participating recruited a replacement person to fill his role in March this year, he is now scheduled to exit CE on 23rd June 2023. Should he not be successful in securing employment in the open labour market following his exit from CE, he can contact his local Intreo Employment Services for assistance and advice on the full range of supports which are available to people who are job seeking.

I am fully committed to CE and will continue to support and improve the programme for the benefit of the participants and the valuable contribution being made to local communities through the provision of services.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.