Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 October 2020
211. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will be permitted to take up an available place on a community employment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30371/20]
View answerThe criteria for participating on the Community Employment Programme are based on age and length of time in receipt of various qualifying social welfare payments.
To participate on a Community Employment Scheme, a person must be unemployed and in receipt of certain Social Welfare payments for a period of at least 12 months. This is in keeping with commitments in Pathways to Work to target initiatives at those who are long-term unemployed. Also, in determining eligibility, a person must not have in excess of 30 days in cumulative employment in the previous 12 months. If they exceed 30 worked days in that time, then they fall outside the definition of long-term unemployed for the programme eligibility purposes, as they have proved themselves to be capable of finding and retaining employment. As the person concerned has been working casually and has in excess of the 30 days allowable during the last 12 months, he is not currently eligible for Community Employment. He is currently fully unemployed and if he continues to be fully unemployed and in receipt of a qualifying payment he will be eligible to apply for a CE vacancy and if successful to take up a placement from Monday 1st March 2021 for a period of one year.
There are however a number of options open to those who do not qualify for CE. In this context, the Department’s Intreo Office staff will be happy to advise Mr Millar of the activation interventions that might best suit his needs.
