Dick Spring
Question:111 Mr. Spring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason no applicants are being taken on community employment schemes in County Kerry at the present time. [17949/01]
Written Answers. - Community Employment Schemes.
Community employment or CE 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 has currently approximately 33,500 participants. Following the Government decision in July 1999 to restructure the programme the numbers employed on CE are being gradually reduced.
In managing the allocation of CE places in the Kerry area, FÁS takes into account the increased demand for workers in the tourism business during the summer months. During the period January to June 2001 participant numbers in the Tralee area increased from 1,119 to 1,176 and in Killarney participant numbers increased from 175 to 191, which is an overall increase of 73 participants in the Kerry area. In this context, recruitment for the programme is not currently taking place. However, FÁS has advised that it will resume in the autumn in line with the budget allocation for the county.