Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 March 2021
152. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to review the eligibility criteria for community employment schemes for those over 55 years of age who have been moved from jobseeker’s allowance due to changes in budget 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12244/21]
View answerOn clarification with the Deputy's office, the question refers to participants over 55 who had already moved from Community Employment (CE) to jobseekers allowance in 2020 in line with the 2017 rule changes.
The Deputy may be aware that Minister Humphreys and I held an online meeting on Wednesday, 27th January with representatives from the CE sponsoring authorities. The representatives outlined a range of issues that are causing concern within their schemes.
One of the issues raised by CE sponsors was the implications of an interpterion of a 2017 rule change that affected CE participants aged 55 years and older who were on CE in July 2017. Following an examination by Departmental officials, I wish to confirm that those CE participants who were impacted by that rule change in July 2017, now have the option of remaining on CE for a maximum of six consecutive years, in accordance with the terms of the 2017 saver clause.
This provision may also apply to a number of former CE participants who finished up on CE during 2020 and moved to jobseekers allowance. Each case will be reviewed in line with the terms of the 2017 saver clause and Department staff will work with CE sponsoring authorities to identify eligible CE participants.
The Deputy may wish to note that since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, my Department has introduced a number of contingency measures, including the extension of CE participant contracts that were due to finish during Level-5 periods of public health restrictions. The current contract end date has recently been extended further until 2nd July, 2021. These latest extensions is of direct benefit to approximately 7,000 of employment support scheme participants whose contracts were due to end since last October. These extensions also directly benefited the cohort CE participants mentioned in the question by the Deputy. Under the terms of these contract extensions, in place since last October, CE participants did not exit schemes and should not therefore have moved onto jobseekers payments.
I am fully committed to the future of this programme and will continue to support and improve the programme for the benefit of the CE participants and the valuable contribution being made to local communities through the provision of services.
