Vol. 442 No. 2
61 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the measures, if any, he intends to take to ensure that women who are not currently on the live register could qualify for community enterprise development programme schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
65 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the way in which women will qualify for entry to the community employment programme announced in the 1994 budget which will replace the existing employment scheme; if they will qualify for the 1,000 places allocated to the pilot programmes based on the CMRS concept; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
69 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the categories of women who are excluded from participation in the community employment scheme by virtue of their social welfare status; the plans, if any, he has to review these exclusions in view of the manner in which they discriminate against women; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
102 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he is excluding deserted wives and widows from the community employment schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 61, 65, 69 and 102 together.
The following are eligible to participate in community employment, which has replaced the social employment scheme and the community employment development programme: Persons 21 years or over in receipt of unemployment assistance, all persons in receipt of unemployment benefit for over a year, all persons in receipt of lone parent's allowance for over one year and other special categories e.g. referrals by the NRB and persons combining a period on the live register with a period on a recognised programme.
Women, including deserted wives and widows who come under any of the above categories are eligible to participate.
Due to limited resources, it is not possible to provide employment scheme opportunities for all unemployed persons and as such the available opportunities are targeted at particular categories.
The details of the pilot programme based on the CMRS concept are being finalised at present in consultation with representatives of the CMRS.
