Vol. 478 No. 3
95 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the plans, if any, he has for the part-time job opportunities scheme, operated by CORI on a pilot basis; if he will extend its scope and duration; and the number of places which are provided for in 1997 and subsequent years. [11036/97]
96 Mrs. O'Rourke asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the correspondence, if any, he has received from the supervisors of the part-time job opportunities programme; if so, if he has received a request to meet them; if so, if he will accede to this request for a meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11089/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 96 together.
The CORI part-time job opportunity programme is a three year pilot programme providing 1,000 part-time opportunities in the social economy and 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 on projects for three years and the introduction of spousal entitlement swops. These aspects have already been mainstreamed into community employment. Other innovations of the CORI concept which might be mainstreamed such as the "rate for the job" approach have been under consideration, in consultation with CORI and I hope to be in a position to make an announcement shortly. The rate of 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 have decided that: (1) all suitable CORI sponsors who wish to convert to community employment will be allowed to do so, (2) participants receive special guidance and counselling before the project comes to an end to help them get employment in the open labour market, and (3) that the option of allowing participants a further year on community employment be maintained if it becomes necessary.
