Vol. 467 No. 4
275 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the anomaly whereby the long-term unemployed spouses of a working partner, although long-term unemployed and signing for credits, are debarred from participating in community employment schemes; if he will investigate this anomaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13489/96]
Community employment, CE, is designed primarily to prevent marginalisation among long-term unemployed people whose principal or only source of income is a social welfare payment. Its objective is to provide temporary work experience opportunities together with some training that would enhance the employment prospects of those whom the programme is targeted at. Current resources constraints rule out the possibility of widening the eligibility pool for this programme, to include those signing for credits.
