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Community Employment Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 April 2021

Wednesday, 28 April 2021

Questions (649)

Robert Troy

Question:

649. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will urgently review the possibility of providing set 12 month extensions to the contracts of community employment and Tús workers whose contracts have or are due to expire in the coming months; her views on whether such participants should be given the opportunity to complete their course and training; and her further views on whether the current umbrella extension until June 2021 will result in mass numbers of vacancies arising on schemes which will be all but impossible to fill. [21549/21]

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Written answers

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-based 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 these restrictions, have had their contracts extended for the duration of the restrictions.  In early March 2021, Minister Humphreys and I announced funding for a further CE and Tús contract extension for participants, up until 2nd July 2021.   Over 7,000 CE and Tús participants will benefit from the current contract extension which applies to all participants whose contracts were due to finish since end-October 2020.  

I note the  concern raised that a significant number of additional vacancies could arise after the latest contract extension date expires. It  is important to note that exits from CE and Tús schemes after this date will be organised in partnership with the scheme sponsors and on a coordinated, phased basis over a number of months.  This will support the ongoing delivery of important services in the community while facilitating the referral and recruitment of replacement long term unemployed candidates for the schemes.  It should be noted that referrals to CE and Tús have continued throughout the ongoing level 5 restrictions where it has been safe and appropriate to do so.  Referrals will start to increase once current Level 5 restrictions begin to ease to ensure opportunities are available for the new cohort of long term unemployed. 

Training is an important component of CE and some CE participant training has continued online throughout the Level-5 restrictions.  The latest contract extensions will provide many CE participants with additional time in which to complete their training. Where a CE participant finishes up on their scheme without completing the training outlined in their Individual Learning Plan and if unfortunately they remain unemployed, they may continue their development through a range of training supports provided by my Department such as the Training Support Grant and the Back to Education Allowance.  Department case officers will engage with former CE participants to discuss the available options. 

One of the measures introduced in the Government’s July, 2020 Jobs Stimulus package was to increase the capacity of the Public Employment Services.  Additional resources have since been introduced and will be central to meeting the increased demand for services, including recruitment to existing employment support schemes once normal operations have resumed. 

It is therefore not proposed to further-extend all CE and Tús participant contracts by 12 months at this time.   However, contract extension dates will continue to be monitored in line with Government public health restrictions in place over the coming months. 

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 and Tús participants and the valuable contribution being made to local communities through the provision of services.

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