Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2015
157. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the community employment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30701/15]
View answerCommunity Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons (including lone parents, recovering drug misusers and persons with a disability) with an opportunity to engage in part-time work and training within their communities on a temporary, fixed-term basis.
The A8/A9 PRSI stamp paid by Community Employment (CE) participants is effectively the same as a full rate A stamp in terms of the benefits that can be obtained. The reduced rate of jobseeker's benefit on CE exit reflects the rate of weekly earnings from CE as this is used to determine the rate of jobseeker's benefit, as set out below:
Weekly Jobseeker's Benefit payment in 2015
|
Average weekly earnings |
Personal rate |
Increase for a qualified adult |
Increase for a qualified child |
|
Less than €150 |
€84.50 |
€80.90 |
€29.80 |
|
€150 - €219.99 |
€121.40 |
€80.90 |
€29.80 |
|
€220 - €299.99 |
€147.30 |
€80.90 |
€29.80 |
|
€300 or more |
€188 |
€124.80 |
€29.80 |
If a person is only entitled to a reduced rate of jobseeker's benefit, it may be financially more beneficial for them to claim jobseeker's allowance. However, jobseeker's allowance is means-tested and household means must be below a certain level to qualify.
With respect to the participants exhausting their time on the programme, all CE sponsors and participants are aware of the time limits for participation, and the fact that sponsors will only have the participants for a limited amount of time based on the published rules of the programme. The participation limits allows for the maximum utilisation of places amongst qualifying persons, to ensure the benefit of the CE placements to the widest possible audience.
For participants who are fully trained and considered “job-ready” for the open labour market, the renewed efforts of the sponsoring organisation should be towards assisting them in gaining employment.
