Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 September 2022
320. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will report on the criteria that must be met to enable community employment scheme participants to remain on a scheme beyond their allotted time in which replacement participants cannot be found; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47026/22]
View answerThe 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 participants' opportunities to return to work in the labour market.
As the economy and society emerged from COVID, it was clear that some schemes were encountering difficulties maintaining services, as participants with COVID related extended contracts started to leave schemes from April 2022. This led to an increased turnover of participants which could have had an impact on services provided by schemes. As a consequence, Minister Humphreys and I introduced a number of reforms to CE, to minimise the impact on schemes and services they provide.
One of the changes introduced allowed CE participants whose contract term was coming to an end, to stay on CE until a replacement was referred to the scheme to take up this place. Any extension under this provision must be approved by officials from the Department and consideration will be given to the any remaining impact of COVID on the turnover and recruitment of participants, services provided by schemes, along with recruitment and referral efforts. Approximately 900 participants have had their contracts extended on this basis since the start of April.
It remains important that CE places are available for persons who are long term unemployed to assist them return to employment in the labour market. Therefore extensions are only approved in specific circumstances where an extension will not prevent an incoming long term unemployed person the opportunity to take up a CE place.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
