Seán Power
Question:73 Mr. Power asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider introducing optional A9 PRSI contributions for persons participating in community employment schemes rather than the current compulsory element. [8955/96]
Written Answers. - Community Employment Schemes.
The Social Welfare Act, 1996, provides for the introduction of Class A PRSI for community employment (CE) workers commencing such employment on or after 6 April 1996. In addition, provision was made for existing CE workers (i.e. those who commenced CE prior to 6 April 1996) to be given the option of paying Class A PRSI, if they wished, or of continuing with their existing Class J PRSI. Existing CE workers were given until 30 April 1996 to exercise that option and those who opted for Class A PRSI will continue to pay Class A for the duration of their employment on CE. It will not be possible for them to revert to Class J at a later date.
Other than the optional arrangements for existing CE workers which I have outlined above, I have no plans to introduce optional insurance for CE workers or for any other category of worker.
John Ellis
Question:74 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the changes, if any, he proposes to make in the regulations governing FÁS schemes from July 1996. [8956/96]
The only existing FÁS scheme for which changes are being introduced is the community employment (CE) programme.
With effect from 15 April last, CE has been split into two distinct options:—
1. Part-Time Integration Option: which is aimed at long-term unemployed people with reasonable prospects of employment and whose prospects of obtaining mainstream employment would be enhanced by participation on the programme.
Both men and women (married or single) who fulfil any of the following eligibility criteria can participate on this option: those over 21 years and on unemployment benefit (UB) or unemployment assistance (UA) for at least 12 months; those over 21 years and on lone parent's allowance for over 12 months; special categories such as those referred by the NRB or travellers on the live register or on lone parent's allowance for at least 12 months.
2. Part-Time Job Option: which is aimed at long-term unemployed people with poor employment prospects.
Both men and women (married or single) who fulfil any of the following eligibility criteria can participate on this option: those over 35 years and in receipt of unemployment assistance (UA) or unemployment benefit (UB] for over three years; those over 35 years and on lone parent's allowance for over three years; special categories such as those referred by the NRB who are over 35 years or travellers who are over 35 years and on the live register or on lone parent's allowance for at least 12 months.
The above changes have been implemented to better target the programme at the long-term unemployed so that they may share in the benefits of economic growth with other sectors of society and have been introduced against a background where long-term unemployed people are often bypassed in job selection.