Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 February 2015
223. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if the positions of participants on community employment schemes in the health and social care area remain with the existing main sponsor groups, as is the current situation throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4962/15]
View answerThe Department hopes to commence rolling out a new Health and Social Care Programme for CE participants during the course of this year. The programme will ensure that participants have adequate access to qualifications in the health and social care sector in order to take up employment opportunities in this area and to support local service delivery. The Department has been consulting with key stakeholders and service providers in this sector in preparation for the roll-out of the programme, and this will continue. On-going support will be provided to the CE Sponsoring Organisations who manage these schemes throughout the process.
The main consideration in determining this approach is to ensure that CE participants who are working directly with service users are adequately trained and receive the appropriate supervision that pertains to this sector.
