Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 April 2016
48. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the policy changes she has initiated in respect of community employment schemes in the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6948/16]
View answerResponsibility for the Community Employment (CE) programme transferred to the Department of Social Protection in January 2012. Since then, significant improvements have been made to the operation and governance of CE. These improvements have taken place in the context of a changing profile of participants on CE in a challenging economic environment.
The following is a summary of the main policy changes initiated in relation to CE since that date:
- Cessation of dual payments (CE allowances and certain social welfare payments) for new entrants to CE from January 2012;
- 2,000 additional CE places made available in Budget 2013;
- Revised and streamlined participant referral process put in place. All referrals are now made through the Department’s Intreo offices (September 2014);
- Christmas Bonus reinstated for CE participants (from December 2014);
- CE Childcare (CEC) programme brought in to allow CE applicants requiring childcare provision to avail of a CE place (Budget 2014);
- Provision has been made on a pilot basis for persons aged 62 years of age and over to remain on CE until State Pension age if they have exhausted other activation options. (January 2016); and
- The minimum age limit for CE childcare places and health & social care-related places has been reduced to 21 years of age for those working directly with service users (February 2016).
The Department keeps the operations of CE under on-going review and, where necessary, it updates the programme to comply with legislation changes and Government policy, such as Pathways to Work.
