Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 29 Sep 1999

Vol. 508 No. 1

Written Answers. - Community Employment Schemes.

Jim O'Keeffe

Ceist:

146 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if her attention has been drawn to the anomalous position of social welfare recipients on community employment schemes where workers who have previously been on unemployment assistance receive an extra allowance for dependent children who are over 18 years of age and in full-time education whereas workers who have previously been in receipt of unemployment benefit do not receive this extra allowance for their similar dependent children; and whether she proposes to remedy this anomaly. [17824/99]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney):

Community employment is an active labour market programme targeted at the long-term unemployed. The eligibility criteria for participation in the programme include being unemployed for a minimum period of one year.

The rates of pay for community employment are closely linked to rates and allowances payable by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs under the social welfare code and are set at a level slightly higher than those payable by that Department. This is in order to attract participants into the programme and thereby facilitate their return to the jobs market.

It is not currently proposed to increase the rate of pay of community employment participants other than in line with increases paid by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs.