Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 November 2019
329. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on a matter regarding community employment supervisors (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48225/19]
View answerThe Community Employment Scheme (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis.
The programme is delivered through independent Community Employment Sponsoring Bodies. The contract agreement between the Department and the Community Employment Sponsoring Body establishes their role as an independent contractor, responsible for or all purposes and all persons recruited by them.
CE Supervisors have always been employees of Community Employment Sponsoring Bodies which operate in the community and voluntary sector. The Community Employment Sponsoring Body receives public funding.
In July 2008 the Labour Court recommended that an agreed pension scheme should be introduced for CE supervisors and assistant supervisors, and that such a scheme should be adequately funded by FÁS, who were then responsible for CE. It should be noted that FÁS was not a party to the LRC case.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Department is currently engaging with representatives of CE supervisors to discuss issues arising following that 2008 Labour Court Recommendation (LCR 19293) and that all parties agreed that the detail of all discussions undertaken by the group should remain confidential until the process had completed. I would ask Deputies to respect these wishes and allow the talks to continue free from speculation.
