Vol. 477 No. 2
256 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the plans, if any, he has to retain the part-time jobs opportunities programme in view of the fact that this scheme, developed by CORI, is currently being piloted in centres throughout the country and is due to end in June 1997; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8787/97]
The CORI part-time job opportunity programme is a three year pilot programme which was scheduled to end in June 1997. Given that there will be wind down issues and that some individual projects did not start on time it will be the end of September before the programme is completely finished. CORI's involvement with the programme will cease at the end of May, as is their wish.
An evaluation of the pilot programme has been completed and considered by the Government. The evaluation points to a number of positive outcomes from the proposal such as allowing participants to remain in projects for three years and the introduction of spousal swops. These aspects have already been mainstreamed into community employment. Other innovations of the CORI concept such as the "rate for the job" approach are under consideration and discussions are ongoing with CORI to explore the feasibility of absorbing further elements of the pilot programme into mainstream programmes. The rate for the job approach has already been adopted in the pilot whole time job initiative programme.
With regard to the existing sponsors and participants in the pilot programme, the Government has decided that: all suitable CORI sponsors who wish to convert to community employment will be allowed to do so; participants receive special guidance and counselling before the project comes to an end to help them get employment in the open labour market and that the option of allowing participants a further year on community employment be maintained if it becomes necessary.
