Vol. 550 No. 2
53 Ms Cooper-Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her plans to change the qualifying rule of 12 months on the live register for participants on community employment schemes in circumstances where the only applicants who have the necessary skills or qualifications do not meet the 12 month rule. [7634/02]
Eligibility criteria for community employment, CE, is focused on long-term unemployed persons in receipt of certain social welfare payments. I have no plans to change the current eligibility criteria for the programme at this time. My Department will, however, continue to keep the future operation of CE under review with 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 Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, 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.
