Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 17 Apr 2002

Vol. 552 No. 1

Written Answers. - Community Employment Schemes.

Brendan McGahon

Question:

60 Mr. McGahon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the compensation which is being offered to community employment supervisors and assistant supervisors who are being made redundant as a direct consequence of changes in Government policy on community employment, particularly in the fields of education, local government and health care. [11071/02]

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

Due to the ongoing restructuring of community employment and the mainstreaming of CE schools services which is currently being implemented, a number of projects are discontinuing and, therefore, it is not possible to retain the current levels of supervisors on the programme. Supervisors becoming redundant are entitled to statutory redundancy in accordance with the terms of the Redundancy Payments Acts, 1967 to 1991, and to minimum notice under the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act, 1973, as amended by the Worker Protection Act, 1991.

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 CE projects. FÁS employment service 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. Discussions on mainstreaming in other sectors are not yet completed.