Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 March 2019
335. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the funding that her Department or agencies under the remit of her Department have provided to projects in County Roscommon in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019, respectively; if the funding has been allocated; if it has been drawn down in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12526/19]
View answerMy Department provides funding to local communities through work scheme projects such as Community Employment (CE), Rural Social Scheme (RSS) and Tús. These schemes cater for the long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market.
CE schemes provide part-time temporary work in their local communities, including opportunities for training and development as a stepping-stone back to employment, for people in receipt of a range of social welfare payments, including those on a long-term jobseeker’s payment. The Tús initiative is a community work placement scheme providing short-term working opportunities for unemployed people. The RSS provides income support for farmers and fisherpersons who are currently in receipt of specified social welfare payments and the scheme helps to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities.
The annual budget provided to CE schemes includes an amount to cover the cost of training, materials, participant and supervisor wages, which are necessary for the effective operation of the scheme. The materials grant is available towards the cost of all materials necessary for the effective operation of the project such as insurance, audit fees and protective clothing. All scheme expenditure is approved by my Department, at Divisional level, in line with the contract agreement.
The RSS and Tús initiatives are being delivered nationally through the network of 47 Local Development Companies nationally and Údarás na Gaeltachta in Gaeltacht areas, collectively known as Implementing bodies (IBs). Each IB is paid an annual service fee for the administration and delivery of the work schemes in the geographic area covered by its operation.
The information requested is currently being compiled by my Department and will be provided to the Deputy as soon as possible.
