Donal Carey
Question:88 Mr. D. Carey asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her plans to change the policy in relation to community employment schemes and in a number of cases to terminate these schemes. [5540/02]
Written Answers. - Community Employment Schemes.
In accordance with the Government's decision in 1999 to restructure community employment, participation levels are gradually being reduced reflecting the falling numbers of the long-term unemployed. This also reflects a shift in emphasis away from work experience programmes to training from which there is a greater level of progression to employment. The allocation of places and the renewal of projects is an operational mat ter for FÁS. Projects are prioritised and based on the services being provided, for example drugs task force projects, personal assistant services for persons with disabilities and the level of unemployment in the locality. At present there is in the region of 30,000 participants on CE.
The mainstreaming of schools services currently under way and the proposed mainstreaming of other essential services, including the health and environmental sectors, will further reduce the numbers employed on the programme. Mainstreaming involves the transfer of CE funds for specific services to other Departments with functional responsibility for those services. Once mainstreaming has commenced participants are not being replaced when their term on the programme has finished. Such projects will be wound down gradually.
Last year I introduced greater flexibility in the operation of CE in recognition of the particular barriers to employment which exist for certain participants, in particular for older workers and those in remote rural areas with limited employment opportunities locally. FÁS now has discretion to extend an individual's term on CE on a case by case basis, within limits, having regard to that person's needs and future employment prospects.
My Department will, in the context of the current overall restructuring of the programme, continue to keep the future operation of CE under review. It will pay particular reference to its primary role as an active labour market programme to assist participants to progress into jobs and-or further education and training. In this regard, as provided for under the PPF, an overall review of active labour market programmes will be undertaken by my Department in the near future under the aegis of the PPF standing committee on the labour market. The future policy direction of CE will be informed by the outcome of this process.