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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 10 Feb 1993

Vol. 425 No. 7

Written Answers. - Social Employment Scheme.

Dermot Ahern

Question:

203 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that discrimination exists in the FÁS Community Employment Development Programme by restricting eligibility to those over one year in receipt of unemployment benefit or lone parents allowance in so far as many women registered as adult dependents and returned emigrants are disqualified despite the fact that they require retraining in order to reenter the job market on an equal footing; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The Social Employment Scheme is the principal manpower intervention aimed at the long term unemployed and the Community Employment Development Programme is a development of the scheme and operates only in the Twelve partnership areas established under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress. The eligibility criteria for the CEDP target the Programme at long term unemployed persons in these areas who have been in receipt of Unemployment Benefit, Unemployment Assistance or Lone Parent Allowance for at least one year.

Expenditure on the Social Employment Scheme and Community Employment Development Programme is funded in part by savings in social welfare payments. As such only persons who satisfy the specified eligibility criteria are admitted to the scheme or the programme.

I would like to point out that FÁS provides training for persons returning to the workforce after a prolonged absence. Persons in this category who are interested in participating in such training should make contact with their nearest FÁS office.
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