Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 28 Feb 1996

Vol. 462 No. 3

Written Answers. - Voluntary Workers' Restrictions.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

111 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he will review restrictions on voluntary workers in community employment schemes who have not acquired 39 stamps and 39 credits in view of the fact that voluntary workers in the case of trained personnel in citizens information centres have been carrying on the work of the State but for no pay and under current rules this work goes unacknowledged by the community employment schemes. [4711/96]

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. R. Bruton)

I presume the Deputy is referring to the conditions attaching to the community employment (CE) programme, whereby prospective participants must be in receipt of an unemployment compensation payment or lone parent's allowance or else be referred by the National Rehabilitation Board.

CE is primarily designed to prevent marginalisation among long-term unemployed people whose principle or only source of income is a social welfare payment and its eligibility criteria reflects this targeting. Recent changes announced in the budget will further focus the programme on this target group. If any of the voluntary workers referred to by the Deputy satisfy the eligibility criteria for CE, they are of course welcome to participate on the programme.