Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 4 Nov 1999

Vol. 510 No. 2

Written Answers. - Community Employment Schemes.

Jim O'Keeffe

Ceist:

50 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of widows with dependent children on community employment schemes; and the future proposals, if any, she has in this regard. [21888/99]

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

Eligibility to participate in community employment was extended to widows/widowers with effect from 15 September 1999, subject to application of age criteria and of a qualifying period for eligibility as with unemployed persons and lone parents. Previously this category was not eligible in its own right but could access the programme by changing from widow's/widower's pension to unemployment assistance/unemployment benefit or one parent family payment as appropriate.

Given that widows/widowers are only recently eligible to participate in CE, statistics will not be available for some time. Recruitment will depend on sponsors having suitable vacancies to match with suitable clients. FÁS and the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs are currently putting in place the mechanism whereby data on such clients who take up a CE place will be available and will clearly identify eligibility and dependency status.