Written answers

Wednesday, 22 January 2025

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Community Employment Schemes

Photo of Michael CahillMichael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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889. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to urgently address the criteria for qualifying to participate in community employment schemes (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1535/25]

Photo of Joe O'BrienJoe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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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.

The general rule relating to eligibility for participation on CE is that the person must be in receipt of a qualifying payment for 12 months or more. This is to ensure that the scheme is targeted at those furthest removed from the labour market and who will benefit most from participation. The exceptions to the eligibility criteria apply to those who would be considered among the most vulnerable in society and include people from the Traveller or Roma communities and people with addiction issues or who have recently been released from prison.

A number of initiatives have been taken over recent times to support CE schemes in their recruitment and retention of participants. These changes have included:

  • A provision to allow CE participants who reach 60 years of age to remain on CE until they reach state pension age.
  • Some flexibility granted to CE Sponsors to extend individual placements to retain existing participants in cases where no replacement is immediately available.
  • Changes to eligibility criteria extending CE to the adult dependents of those in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance.
  • A new Pilot scheme to extend eligibility to the over 50’s age group in receipt of credits or a combination of credits & Jobseekers benefit.

In addition, Intreo Employment Services are prioritising referrals to these CE schemes - with dedicated staff working on CE referrals. Any further measures including extending eligibility to seasonal workers would have to be considered in a policy and budgetary context having regard to the overall resources available for welfare improvements.

The Department keeps all aspects of its employment and activation programmes under review to ensure that they have the best outcomes for participants. Places on these employment support programmes will continue to be made available to support those who are long term unemployed and furthest removed from the labour market, while maintaining the role of CE as an active labour market programme.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

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