Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2020
793. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the 2008 Labour Court recommendation that ruled that a pension scheme should be put in place for community employment supervisors will be implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12230/20]
View answer817. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding community employment supervisors and their pension claims; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11875/20]
View answer847. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to address the issues regarding the pension and gratuity status of community employment supervisors; her further plans to implement the Labour Court recommendation issued in 2008; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12412/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 793, 817 and 847 together.
The 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.
CE sponsor organisations provide a valuable and dedicated service in running CE Schemes all over the country. CE Supervisors and Assistant Supervisors, as employees of these organisations, are an integral part of that good work.
As you are aware, CE supervisors and assistant supervisors have been seeking for several years, through their union representatives, the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme.
Last year my officials and I met with the unions to establish a process for the related discussions and to agree on the terms of reference. During the meetings that followed, the parties undertook a detailed analysis of a number of potential solutions tabled, mindful of the broader environment in which any solution found would need to operate.
Related discussions have also taken place between officials from my Department and their counterparts in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) and I have asked that my officials continue these discussions.
Further planned discussions between my Department officials and the Unions did not take place in light of the ongoing Covid-19 emergency. However, my officials will continue these discussions as normal business resumes.
