Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 31 March 2022
309. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection if community employment scheme guidelines can be updated to mandate that supervisors facilitate scheme members who have work in a relevant field even if that work overlaps with scheme hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17144/22]
View answerCommunity 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 experience and training opportunities within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis to improve their prospect of returning to employment.
CE participants work part time on CE schemes and can take up other work, including paid employment, and activities that do not clash with their commitment to CE hours of work.
Therefore participants who wish to take up other part-time work during their placement should ensure that it does not clash or overlap with their CE hours agreed with the CE sponsor organisation. Payment for any such work is subject to normal PAYE/PRSI conditions. Where a participant is taking up paid employment, they should check with my department if there are any implications in relation to receipt of DSP payments or secondary benefits.
A sponsor organisation may, at their own expense, employ a participant under a separate contract of employment for additional hours outside of the participant’s normal CE hours, on the condition that the participant is not employed for more than an additional 234 hours in any given 12 months employment contract. The sponsor organisation must declare all such hours to the department on a monthly basis.
The Department keeps all aspects of its employment and activation programmes under review to ensure that they have the best outcomes for participants.
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.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
