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Community Employment Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 September 2021

Tuesday, 28 September 2021

Questions (493)

Niall Collins

Question:

493. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is planning to make changes to the community employment programme; if so, the details of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45967/21]

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Written answers

On clarification with the Deputy’s office, the question relates to plans to change the eligibility criteria for CE by reducing the period a person must be in receipt of a qualifying payment and potentially increasing the lifetime limits.

The aim of the Community Employment (CE) programme is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and long-term unemployed people by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their local communities. The programme aims to improve a person’s opportunities to return to the labour market.

CE placements are intended to be temporary and subject to time limits. This is to ensure the continued availability of places on CE schemes for a broad range of long-term unemployed candidates. Those who are unemployed and in receipt of an eligible payment for 12 months or more may be eligible to participate on CE.

In general, all CE placements for new entrants aged between 21 and 55 years are for one year. However, CE participants, working towards a major educational award, can seek to extend participation by up to two years to enable them to reach the required qualification standards.

Those over 55 years of age can remain on CE for up to three years, while CE participants who are aged over 55 and commenced on CE prior to the introduction of the changes in 2017 continue to be eligible to stay on CE for six consecutive years.

CE participants over the age of 62 can participate on a continuous basis up to the State Pension age on the CE Service Support Stream (SSS), subject to certain criteria. In total, 10% of CE placements are available under the service support stream and Department officials continue to encourage CE schemes to promote this facility.

There are no plans at present to amend the eligibility criteria as suggested by the Deputy; any reduction in the eligibility period would reduce the number of employment support places available for persons who are facing the greatest difficulty in returning to employment, namely the long-term unemployed.

I 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 while ensuring that places continue to be made available to those who are long term unemployed.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

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