Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Feb 2002

Vol. 548 No. 2

Written Answers. - Community Employment Schemes.

Michael Ring

Question:

84 Mr. Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if provision has been made for the transfer of supervisors or programme managers of community employment projects for the disability section. [4589/02]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney)

In line with a commitment in the PPF, and following consultations with relevant Departments and the social partners, certain services currently provided by participants on community employment are being mainstreamed. This process has already commenced in the case of CE services in schools and I am hopeful that the current discussions between officials of my Department and the Department of Health and Children, and FÁS will be concluded shortly to allow the mainstreaming of CE health services to commence in the late spring or early summer. Mainstreaming of CE health services will involve the phased transfer of current CE funding for such services to the Department of Health and Children.

Supervisors are employed by sponsors of CE projects to manage each project, and to look after the training and development needs of participants. These positions are funded by a grant from FÁS. They are not directly involved in the provision of services to persons with disabilities or other such services. It is intended that participants in health projects considered suitable for mainstreaming will be allowed to work out their contracts in the usual way. However, once mainstreaming has commenced a participant will not be replaced when their term on the programme has finished and the project will gradually, be phased out. Supervisors of certain projects discontinued due to mainstreaming who are not retained by the sponsor may, therefore, be made redundant.

FÁS employment services will make every effort to ensure that supervisors are made aware of other employment opportunities, including those arising in the social economy, as this programme is rolled out, or in other community employment schemes. FÁS employment services will initiate contact with such supervisors and provide the full range of employment supports, including job placement or further training if required. In addition, FÁS will ensure that redundant supervisors, with their consent, are placed on the regional database of community employment supervisors for future prospective employers.