Dan Neville
Question:187 Mr. Neville asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will give details of the scheme to permit those in excess of 50 years of age to remain on community employment schemes. [23153/01]
Vol. 541 No. 4
187 Mr. Neville asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will give details of the scheme to permit those in excess of 50 years of age to remain on community employment schemes. [23153/01]
Experience has shown that a small number of individuals continue to experience difficulties in getting jobs following their participation on community employment. This is usually due to barriers such as age, health, literacy, numeracy or a lack of suitable jobs locally. In recognition of this, I have removed the three-year limit on participation for people over 50 years of age in certain cases. In the future, people over 50 who, having spent three years on the programme, continue to experience difficulties in getting employment, may have their participation in the programme extended. For such participants, FÁS will have discretion to offer a further period on the programme on a case by case basis.
FÁS has also been given the flexibility to offer a further period of participation of up to one year for those in the younger age groups who are also experiencing difficulty in obtaining employment. This flexibility will apply in those cases where it is clear that an extension would be of benefit to the participants in terms of improving their prospects of progressing to a job in the open labour market.