Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 May 2022
320. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the acute problems in reinstating important services for rehabilitating drug dependent young person's due to the lack of community employment youth workers such as in a case (details supplied); and if she will consider changing current community employment regulations to allow key support workers be retained. [22241/22]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, Community Employment (CE) drug rehabilitation schemes have a very significant social inclusion focus, are well embedded in our local communities nationally and are generally engaged in significant levels of local service support and delivery. The role of the service support worker is crucial in providing these services.
I refer to your question on behalf of Kilbarrack Coastal Community Programme (KCCP) regarding difficulty experienced recruiting CE participants as youth support and drug rehabilitation support workers. Where vacancies occur on CE schemes, eligible candidates are identified by my Department’s activation services and are referred to fill placements on CE schemes. Jobseekers can also register their interest through www.jobsireland.ie, the Department’s online job advertising and recruitment service website or by contacting a case officer in their local Intreo Centre. CE candidates are then referred to the CE scheme once their eligibility has been confirmed and CE is considered a suitable activation measure for that jobseeker. Referrals are being made to KCCP by the Department's activation service; however, some of the candidates referred unfortunately have not been deemed suitable for the specific roles.
In order to support CE schemes and to assist with the transition from COVID emergency supports, Minister Humphreys and I have put transitionary measures in place whereby participants, including those with extended contracts, may not be required to leave CE, until a suitable replacement has been referred to the scheme. This provision will support schemes to retain services, given the higher-than-normal turnover of participants in 2022. Any extension under this provision must be approved by officials from the Department and consideration will be given to the impact of COVID on the recruitment of participants, services provided by schemes, along with recruitment and referral efforts. I understand that one such extension is currently under consideration in respect of the KCCP CE scheme.
I believe that these flexibilities will ensure services provided by CE schemes will continue to be supported, as we phase out COVID emergency supports while ensuring that CE places remain available to long term unemployed persons within communities.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
