Vol. 465 No. 3
202 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether community employment scheme workers in the past were eligible for a family income supplement; the anticipated additional costing involved if all persons who were eligible for family income supplement, working in community employment schemes, were paid this allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9595/96]
Following the introduction of the community employment (CE) scheme in April 1994, the Social Welfare (Family Income Supplement) (Amendment) Regulations, 1994 (S.I. No. 241 of 1994) excluded CE scheme workers from being regarded as being engaged in remunerative full-time employment for FIS purposes.
As the number of CE scheme workers who would qualify for FIS, in the event of FIS being extended to such workers, is not available, it is not possible to estimate the additional costs that would be involved in FIS payments. In any event, I do not consider that FIS is an appropriate mechanism for improving the income of CE workers. The level of allowance payable to these workers is a matter for the Department of Enterprise and Employment. As a general principle we should avoid where possible having one Department subsidising payments being made by another Government Department.
