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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 20 Feb 2003

Vol. 561 No. 6

Written Answers - Community Employment Schemes.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

76 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a study has been done on the effects of the series of cuts in funding for community employment, JI and social economy schemes on community development and on the provision of vital community services. [5145/03]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

77 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if her attention has been drawn to the fact that many key services are or were being provided by community employment, JI and social economy schemes, which should have been provided by health boards and Government Departments; and if her attention has further been drawn to the fact that due to the cuts, disadvantaged communities are now being left without services that were helping them address many of the problems relating to years of neglect, poor education, the drugs epidemic and poverty. [5146/03]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 and 77 together.

The primary purpose of the community employment, CE, and job initiative programmes is to provide long-term unemployed persons with the necessary skills and confidence to take up employment in the open labour market. Funding of €46 million has been provided for JI in 2003 which will provide for a year-end target rate of 2,200 and a small reduction of 325 places over the year. The funding allocation for the social economy programme has been increased to €30.836 million in 2003 from €20.55 million in 2002. This allocation will finance commitments made to enterprises approved to date.

In accordance with the Government's decision in 1999 to restructure CE, participation levels are gradually being reduced in line with reduced levels of long-term unemployment and a strategic shift in policy in favour of training and other more appropriate supports. The average participation rate on the programme during 2003 is expected to be in the region of 22,000 with a projected year-end participation rate of 20,000. FÁS prioritises CE projects according to the types of services provided and levels of unemployment in the locality, and co-ordinate reductions in CE places so as to minimise any negative effects on groups and services most in need of the programme. Drugs task force activity and child care service provision are ring-fenced from any reductions and projects in RAPID areas are given top priority. CE places in the health sector, which includes personal assistant services, are being maintained at existing levels to ensure continuity of the delivery of these services.

The Government is very much aware of the important contribution that CE has made to the development of services for local communities over the years and the difficulties which now arise for sponsor organisations in the voluntary and community sector due to the reduction in the level of funding available for the programme. In this context a cross-departmental senior officials group has been asked to consider options for the future of CE, taking account of the link with the provision of community services. In addition, the PPF mandated review of active labour market programmes is being progressed under the aegis of the standing committee on the labour market, chaired by my Department. FÁS is also currently undertaking an internal review of CE and the job initiative programme, which should be finalised shortly. The outcome of these various initiatives will inform the Government's consideration of options for the future delivery of community services and appropriate levels of CE for the future.
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