Vol. 442 No. 8
33 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the reason the criteria for participation in community employment programmes exclude 18 to 21 year olds who are in receipt of unemployment assistance; if he will review this regulation in view of the continuing serious problem of youth unemployment; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
With limited resources, it is not possible to provide employment scheme opportunities for all unemployed persons and the available resources are targeted at the provision of opportunities for particular categories of unemployed persons. In the case of community employment, it is targeted at persons of 21 years of age and over in receipt of unemployment assistance and at persons of any age who have been in receipt of unemployment benefit or lone parent's allowance for over one year.
FÁS provides opportunities for young people under 21 years of age on its training programmes which I consider is the most appropriate way to deal with youth unemployment. In this context I will be reviewing the provision of opportunities generally for persons under 21 years of age in the context of the EU Youthstart initiative and the FÁS-Department of Social Welfare options initiative for school leavers.
