Eamon Scanlon
Question:135. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to remove the current time restrictions on all community employment schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21248/17]
View answerThursday, 4 May 2017
Questions (135, 136)
Eamon Scanlon
Question:136. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to revisit the proposed changes to community employment schemes, in particular the 12-month eligibility rule, in view of the fact that it is too restrictive, particularly in areas of low population density; his views that community groups are finding it difficult to recruit participants and that there are fewer participants available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21249/17]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 136 together.
As the economic recovery takes hold and the overall level of unemployment continues to fall, the need to adapt employment programmes such as Community Employment (CE) to the changing circumstances, has become more apparent. With this in mind, my Department undertook an analysis of CE, which also looked at the other employment programmes. In this context, the Government recently approved the implementation of a number of changes to the terms and conditions of participation on CE. The main purpose of these changes is to broaden the availability of CE to a greater number of people on the live register and to standardise other conditions around the length of time a person can participate on the programme.
The changes I am planning to introduce will see the general qualifying age for CE for those on the live register reduced from 25 to 21 years. It will also be easier for previous participants, who have exhausted their CE entitlement, to re-qualify as participation prior to the year 2007 will be disregarded. While participants between 21 and 55 years of age on CE will be entitled to one year on the programme, this can be extended by up to 2 more years if they are engaged in a recognised training or education award that is helping them progress towards employment. All CE participants aged 55 and over will be able to avail of 3 consecutive years on a CE scheme up to the overall limit of 6 years from 2007 (7 years if on a disability payment). I have also agreed to review the current participation limits for older people on CE within the next three months. As the Deputy will be aware, participation limits are necessary to allow for the utilisation of places amongst qualifying persons to ensure the benefits of CE are available to the widest possible number of jobseekers.
The length of time a person must be in receipt of a social welfare payment to qualify for CE remains at 12 months and I have no plans to change that. This ensures that a person who becomes unemployed is, in the first instance, provided with the one-to-one intensive activation support of a DSP case officer to try to find employment before being considered for a placement on an employment programme.
The Department keeps all aspects of its activation programmes under review to ensure the best outcomes for participants. As part of the implementation of the new measures, my Department is currently consulting with key stakeholders across the country.
If a CE sponsor is experiencing particular recruitment difficulties, they should contact their local DSP Intreo office with any concerns they may have in that regard.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.