Vol. 515 No. 3
95 Mr. Flood asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if participants in the jobs initiative scheme are entitled to statutory redundancy payments under the Redundancy Payments Acts on completion of three years participation in the jobs initiative scheme and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6178/00]
The job initiative programme, JI, is a three year work experience programme for persons who have been unemployed for five years or longer. The fundamental objective of the programme is to progress participants into mainstream employment. The first phase of participants have completed their term and are now availing of a six month extension in order to address any training or development needs that the participants might have, and to allow time for the local employment service to engage more actively with participants to facilitate their progression to employment in the open labour market.
In general, a redundancy situation exists where the employer dismisses the employee because the place of employment is being completely or partially closed down, or the employer's requirements for employees of that kind, or with those qualifications has decreased. In the case of JI participants the programme is being continued at the same level, therefore, a redundancy situation will not occur in the majority of cases. An entitlement to redundancy would appear to be limited to situations where a sponsor is withdrawing from the programme, or JI participants are not being replaced.
The full implications of the Redundancy Payments Acts for the ongoing operation of the JI are currently being actively considered by my Department.
