Charles Flanagan
Question:51 Mr. Flanagan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her plans for the future of community employment schemes. [17453/01]
Priority Questions. - Community Employment Schemes.
Community employment is a work experience programme whose primary role is to assist the progression of participants into jobs and or further education and training. FÁS has operational responsibility for the delivery of the programme which currently has approximately 33,500 participants.
Following the Government decision to restructure the programme in July 1999, the numbers employed on community employment will reduce to 28,000 by the end of 2003. The reduction in absolute numbers participating, together with the changed eligibility criteria, are considered to be appropriate given the present economic climate and buoyancy in employment projections. Consultations with relevant Departments are currently taking place to progress the mainstreaming of essential services currently undertaken by participants on the community employment programme. Mainstreaming these services should enhance the services being provided and provide employment opportunities for the long-term unemployed. Mainstreaming community employment services will further reduce participation levels below the restructuring target of 28,000 by 2003. Discussions with the Department of Education and Science with regard to schools services are at an advanced stage and I intend to begin the mainstreaming process and to transfer community employment funding freed up by the reduction in community employment positions in schools to that Department in time for the new school year in September next.
My Department is finalising proposals for a new high support process, as required under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, which will enhance the range of options available for job seekers with particular employment barriers. Further consultations with the social partners on the high support process are due to take place shortly.
My Department is also considering with FÁS the issue of older persons, workers in rural areas and others who have previously participated on community employment and who are having difficulty progressing to open employment. This issue will be considered in the context of developing policy for the high support process and in the light of the implications of both elements for the future operation of community employment following mainstreaming of essential services. The present labour market shortages and the dramatic reductions in the numbers of long-term unemployed provide an unprecedented opportunity to reintegrate into the work force persons who have been participating in labour market programmes.
I welcome the bulk of what the Minister said. However, some aspects still give rise to grave concern, particularly in rural communities. I appeal for flexibility. Does the Mini ster accept that there are parts of the country, particularly in disadvantaged rural areas, which are unemployment black spots where the inflexibility shown under the community employment schemes is causing difficulties? I refer to the three year rule, notwithstanding what the Minister said about moving people from schemes into mainstream employment, which should be welcomed. However, it does not always fit in every case. Community employment schemes have been a mainstay of employment in many parts of the country in recent years. There are large areas in parts of the midlands, for example, where the major employer is FÁS under the community employment programme. However, inflexibility is causing hardship because there is a lack of choice. While we are experiencing low unemployment levels and a jobs boom, if one could call it that, there are tens of thousands of people who do not have any choice but to remain in the community employment scheme and who are now suffering because of the inflexibility of the new rules, particularly the three year rule and that related to older persons.
I agree with most of what Deputy Flanagan said. We have not discontinued community employment for two reasons. First, some individuals who, for reasons relating to age and barriers relating to their location, particularly in rural areas, cannot find jobs in the open labour market. The jobs are either not there or a person's circumstances means he or she does not have the wherewithal or the qualifications or skills. Second, much worthwhile activity has been undertaken in recent years through community employment, such as providing support for disabled people and maintaining schools which could not have been run as efficiently without it. That is why I am determined not to displace it without replacing it.
We are beginning by mainstreaming the schools. The purpose of the new high support process is to try to identify those categories of individuals, such as people on jobs initiatives and others, who require ongoing and intensive support. It is my intention that when we have completed an analysis of the employability study, which was carried out by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs and recently published, in conjunction with the discussions we are having with the social partners, those activities which should be mainstreamed, such as maintenance of schools, will be mainstreamed. It is not satisfactory that every year a school wonders if it will have a caretaker, secretary or teaching assistant. We want to give responsibility for that to the Department of Education and Science and give permanency both to the jobs and to the situation in the schools. I hope to do the same in the Department of Health and Children in relation to those who work in health related areas and perhaps in the Department of the Environment and Local Government in relation to those who work on environmental projects. We must have the type of flexibility the Deputy suggested for other people.