Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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My Department operates a number of employment support schemes; including Tús, and Community Employment (CE), for long term unemployed. I would like to acknowledge the important role that CE and Tús supervisors play in providing valuable opportunities to participants in supporting the delivery of key services to local communities across the country.

It should be noted that Tús supervisors are employees of the individual Implementing Bodies (Local Development Companies); which are funded by the Department. Similarly, CE supervisors are employed by their sponsoring companies; which are also funded by the Department. The service fee paid to all employing bodies was increased last year to enable them pay supervisors on all schemes the 5% wage increase that was agreed early in the year.

It is important to note that there are differences in the work undertaken by CE supervisors compared to that undertaken by Tús supervisors relating, for example, to the preparation of individual learning plans. As a consequence, we would expect the service fees paid to the service providers to reflect this difference in scope.

Officials in my Department have held a number of meetings with the supervisor's representative associations to discuss issues in relation to the delivery of all employment programmes, including the issue of pay parity for Tús and CE supervisors.

My Department, as funder of these schemes, is considering the complexities involved in addressing this issue. In this context, it is important to note that any changes to the fees paid or the funding model requires the approval of the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. Department officials are continuing to engage with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in an effort to resolve the matter. Pending the outcome of these deliberations, officials in my Department will continue to work with the Implementation Bodies and staff representatives.

Again, I would like to assure the deputy that the work undertaken by supervisors on all employment schemes is valued and makes an important contribution to participants and communities across the State.

I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputies.