Vol. 577 No. 3
129 Ms Cooper-Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a person who has served three years on a community employment scheme and has completed a 12 month break is entitled to apply for another term on a community employment scheme. [30683/03]
In accordance with the Government's decision in 1999 to restructure community employment, CE, participation levels have gradually been reduced in line with a strategic shift in policy in favour of training and other more appropriate supports. As part of this restructuring future participation in CE by an individual was capped at three years, effective from April, 2000. This change was introduced to discourage repeated participation in CE and to encourage unemployed persons to avail of training or education options where possible, which are shown to have more successful progression outcomes for individuals.
The three year-cap was amended in August 2001 to allow particularly disadvantaged persons to remain on the programme for a further period. FÁS currently has discretion to offer up to 20% of the total number of CE participants a further period on the programme, on a case by case basis. Participants are considered for an extension if on reaching the end of their normal entitlements on CE they are likely to experience difficulty in getting employment due to their age, literacy or numeracy problems or a lack of suitable jobs available locally. There is no entitlement to additional time for persons having completed three years or longer, after they have left the programme.
The CE programme is currently under review. A decision on the future eligibility criteria for CE will be taken when the current review process has been brought to a conclusion.
