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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 24 Oct 2000

Vol. 524 No. 5

Written Answers. - Community Employment Schemes.

Michael Creed

Question:

170 Mr. Creed asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if those on the homemaker scheme, as long-term unemployed, qualify for community employment schemes on returning to the workforce. [23105/00]

Michael Creed

Question:

172 Mr. Creed asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will change the eligibility criteria for community employment schemes in order that those on a homemaker scheme will qualify. [23012/00]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 170 and 172 together.

The homemaker's scheme can enable persons who give up work to care for a child under 12 years of age or an incapacitated child/adult age 12 years or over, to qualify for an old age, contributory, pension on reaching pensionable age. To be considered as a homemaker under the scheme persons must not be engaged in full-time employment, however, they can earn up to £30 gross per week.

The community employment programme, CE, 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 period 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 above basis persons on the homemaker's scheme are not eligible for CE.

However, in response to the recent recommendation of the report of the Partnership 2000 working group on women's access to labour market opportunities, my Department is considering the position of persons on carer's allowance with a view to accepting an appropriate period in receipt of the carer's allowance as eligibility for CE. This would facilitate persons on low income whose caring duties have ceased to return to the workforce. Persons in receipt of the carer's allowance are automatically registered on the homemaker's scheme by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs.

CE is a very popular programme and limited resources do not make it possible to provide places for all unemployed persons.

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