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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 11 Feb 1998

Vol. 487 No. 1

Written Answers. - Community Employment Schemes.

Brian Lenihan

Question:

77 Mr. B. Lenihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason there is discrimination in the operation of community employment schemes against persons in receipt of deserted wife's benefit as in the case of a person (details supplied). [3482/98]

The Community Employment programme is targeted at a particular severely disadvantaged group of unemployed people, i.e. those registered long-term unemployed whose principal or only source of income is an unemployment compensation payment or certain other social welfare means tested payments such as lone parents in receipt of one parent family payment (OPFP).

Its objective is to provide temporary opportunities whereby they can update their existing skills, develop new skills and obtain a recent track record of work experience that will enhance their prospects of securing a mainstream job.

Persons in receipt of deserted wife's benefit are not eligible to participate in Community Employment. However, they can apply to revert to one parent family payment, and if awarded same, they would then be eligible to participate in the programme.

For the information of the House, Deloitte & Touche have recently been appointed to carry out a full review of the Community Employment programme. The review will include an evaluation of the programme in terms of its success in meeting its objectives and an analysis of whether Community Employment is an appropriate measure in current labour market conditions including comment on how it might be improved or further refined as an effective labour market integration measure.

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