The community employment CE programme, is a labour market intervention measure targeted at the long-term unemployed. Eligibility for CE is confined to persons who are unemployed and in receipt of a payment in respect of unemployment assistance, unemployment benefit, qualified adults, one parent family payment or widows/widowers pension for a minimum of 12 months. Persons in receipt of a disability payment who obtain approval from the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs to engage in employment of a rehabilitative nature can also participate in the programme.
On the basis outlined the person referred to is not eligible for CE. The present eligibility criteria for the programme were drawn up after a full review of CE was undertaken and in consultation with the social partners, and are designed to better target the programme at the most disadvantaged of society. CE is a very popular programme and limited resources do not make it possible to provide places for all unemployed persons.
I note from the Deputy's question that this person is available for work and in this regard I am happy to advise that FÁS, in the context of the current very favourable employment climate, provides a range of training courses aimed at people who wish to acquire new skills or update old skills. Past experience has shown that training provides better opportunities for unemployed persons to progress to open labour market employment. Details of such training courses are available from local employment services offices.
