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Community Employment Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 March 2021

Wednesday, 3 March 2021

Questions (553)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

553. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if time lost by participants on community employment schemes and Tús due to Covid-19 will be given back to them with additional time on schemes; if she will consider same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11710/21]

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Written answers

On clarification with the Deputy, the question refers to additional time on Community Employment (CE) and Tús for participants to complete work experience and training opportunities that were lost during the Covid-19 restrictions.

Community Employment (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.

Tús is a community employment support initiative that provides short-term work opportunities for those who have been unemployed for more than a year, in community work placements.

As the Deputy is aware, my Department has continued to provide funding and support for CE and Tús schemes since the onset of the Covid-19 emergency in March, 2020. During each period of Level-5 restrictions, CE and Tús participants, whose contracts were due to end during the period of these restrictions, have had their contracts extended for the duration of these restrictions. Earlier this week, Minister Humphreys and I announced a further CE and Tús contract extension for participants, up to the 2nd July, 2021. This will continue to be monitored having regard to Government guidelines and restrictions. Over 7,000 CE and Tús participants will benefit from this latest contract extension and applies to all participants whose contracts were due to finish since last October.

It is important to note that when the CE and Tús participants are eventually due to finish on their respective schemes, their exit will be undertaken on a coordinated, phased basis over a number of months. This will support the ongoing delivery of services by schemes and also assist with the recruitment of future candidates to the schemes.

The current further extension will provide many participants additional time to complete their training and work experience on CE and Tus. Where a CE participant finishes up on their CE scheme without completing the training outlined in their Individual Learning Plan (ILP) and if unfortunately they remain unemployed, they may be able to continue their training through other training supports provided by my Department such as the Training Support Grant (TSG) and the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA).

The priority for my Department is to ensure that all employment and activation programmes have the best outcomes for participants. CE & Tús will continue to be made available to support those who are long term unemployed and furthest removed from the labour market, while maintaining the role of CE as an active labour market programme.

I am fully committed to the future of these programmes and will continue to support and improve the programmes for the benefit of the CE & Tús participants and the valuable contribution being made to local communities through the provision of services.

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