Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 June 2004
25 Mr. Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment about the analysis of community employment schemes commissioned or undertaken by her Department; their findings; and if she intends to publish the reports. [18077/04]
View answerActive labour market programmes includes community employment schemes, job initiative, education and training and back to work programmes. A review of them was mandated by the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness and outlined in the programme for Government. The standing committee on the labour market is chaired by my Department and it undertook the review. It was unable to produce a final report in the absence of sufficient consensus on the various elements of the review. However, the considerable input from committee members was noted and their views continue to inform current discussions.
As part of the review process my Department, on the committee's behalf, commissioned Indecon International Economic Consultants to rigorously assess the overall effectiveness of existing programmes and inform the committee's deliberations. The Indecon report can be viewed on my Department's website, www.entemp.ie.
FÁS has also undertaken a review of CE and job initiative programmes. Its report will be published in due course.
A group of senior officials and FÁS are reviewing the future structure of the CE programme. I expect the group to submit a report shortly. Decisions on any future adjustments in the structure and the terms and conditions of CE participation will be taken when the review process is brought to a conclusion.
