Michael Lowry
Ceist:118 Mr. Lowry asked the Minister for Labour the cost of granting a Christmas bonus to persons employed on social employment schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Social Employment Schemes Participants.
Michael Moynihan
Ceist:119 Mr. Moynihan asked the Minister for Labour whether workers employed in social employment schemes by local authorities will have their weekly working hours related to the full time local authority staff and will also qualify for the issue of clothing available to outdoor staff.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 and 119 together.
The cost of paying a Christmas bonus to social employment scheme participants similar to that paid by the Department of Social Welfare, would be around £800,000.
I am currently reviewing the general question of the number of hours worked by SES participants on local authority sponsored projects in the context of the reduction in working hours for local authority supervisors from 40 to 39 under the framework agreement on hours of work negotiated under the Programme for National Recovery.
Local authority sponsors are paid a grant of up to £27 per worker per week to cover supervision and materials costs. It is up to local authorities themselves to decide if clothing available to permanent outdoor staff should also be made available to SES participants.