Written Answers. - Community Employment Scheme.
Noel Ahern
Question:
34
Mr. N. Ahern
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
the rules and entitlements of applicants for community employment schemes in relation to eligibility rules for the one year and three year schemes; if sponsors can keep on all or a percentage of applicants for the three years; and if these are strictly divided between people from national rehabilitation boards, lone parents or previous length of time on the live register.
[24265/98]
Community employment is the main manpower intervention in respect of those who are long-term unemployed and others who are experiencing difficulty in accessing the labour market. Its objective is to provide temporary part-time work experience and training that would enhance their prospects of obtaining a job in the open labour market.
Since April 1996 the programme has consisted of the following two distinct options. The part-time integration option, 30,000 places, is aimed at long-term unemployed people with reasonable prospects of employment and whose prospects of obtaining a job would be enhanced by participation on the programme. Under this option participants are generally engaged for a 12 month period. However up to 10 per cent of participants may be granted an extension for a further period provided such participants are key participants and no other suitable eligible person is available, or where the participants employment prospects would be enhanced by an additional period on the programme. The option is open to: those over 21 years and on unemployment benefit (UB) or unemployment assistance (UA) for at least 12 months; those over 21 years and on one parent family payment (OPFP) for over 12 months; and special categories such as those referred by the NRB or travellers on the live register or on one parent family payment (OPFP) for at least 12 months.
The part-time job option, 11,000 places, is aimed at older long-term unemployed people with fewer employment prospects, i.e. those over 35 years and more than three years unemployed. These participants have an annual contract of engagement for 12 months, but may have their contract renewed for up to three years. The option is open to: 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 one parent family payment (OPFP) 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 one parent family payment (OPFP) for at least 12 months.
In addition to the above criteria, married unemployed people can swap their social welfare entitlement in order to qualify for participation on the programme. In this way, a married person who meets the eligibility criteria can transfer entitlement to his or her spouse, who is unemployed but not on the live register, in order for that person to qualify for participation on community employment.
Also, persons with children who are in receipt of survivor's contributory pension or deserted wife's benefit can apply to transfer to one parent family payment to become eligible to participate in community employment.
Participants are recruited by sponsors who are free to take on any person who fulfills any of the criteria outlined above and no recruitment quotas are imposed on sponsors in respect of National Rehabilitation Board referrals, lone parents or those coming from the live register.
