Vol. 471 No. 4
248 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the plans, if any, he has to relax the regulations in respect of under 35s on community employment schemes, particularly in areas where it is not possible to find replacements for those who must finish up; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21058/96]
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.
Participants are generally engaged for a 12 month period for an average of 39 hours per fortnight. However, some participants may be re-engaged for further periods with the agreement of FÁS where such participants are key participants and no other suitable eligible person is available or where the participant would benefit from additional training/development. Up to 10 per cent of participants on the part-time integration Option (which applies to those under 35 years) can be engaged for a further period and participants on the part-time job option (which applies to those over 35 years), who have an annual contract of engagement for 12 months, can have their contract renewed for up to three years.
The present criteria for CE only came into effect earlier this year following a detailed review of CE and in response to the recommendations of the Task Force on Long-Term Unemployment. In view of this and taking into account that the programme is operating close to capacity I do not propose to widen the criteria at present. However I will keep the situation under review.
