Vol. 525 No. 2
231 Mr. Finucane asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if supervisors on community employment schemes will be considered eligible for positions as team leaders on the jobs initiative programme; and if her attention has been drawn to their disappointment at being excluded in this regard. [24027/00]
The job initiative programme, JI, is a three year work experience programme for persons who have been unem ployed for five years or longer. The fundamental objective of JI is to progress participants into mainstream employment. The responsibility for the management of JI projects rests with the sponsors who undertake at the outset that they have established an organisational structure that can effectively manage JI projects.
A review of the JI programme was commissioned by my Department during 1999 and was undertaken by Deloitte & Touche, consultants. One of the recommendations put forward by the consultants was that a budget allocation per team leader, comparable to that available on the community employment programme, be made available to managing agents. Following consultations with the social partners represented on the standing committee on the labour market, it was decided that the resources of the local employment service should be utilised fully in the first instance to providing a more effective service to JI participants before considering other options.
Supervisors on CE in addition to administration duties, are responsible for drawing up a participant development plan based on the needs of each participant. The needs of workers on JI are being evaluated by FÁS and the LES on an ongoing basis. All aspects of the operation of the JI programme, including the possible need in the future for the position of team leaders, are being kept under close review by my Department.
