Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 23 Mar 2000

Vol. 516 No. 5

Written Answers. - Community Employment Schemes.

John Bruton

Ceist:

104 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when the special working group will be set up to identity essential services being provided by the community employment scheme and to assess the implications for those services of the reduction in the number of places generally in the scheme; the composition of this working group; if all current beneficiaries of assistance under the scheme will be represented on the committee; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8025/00]

Pat Rabbitte

Ceist:

116 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when the planned special working group on the community employment scheme will be established; when it will report; the terms of reference; if the group will look at the implications for participants of the planned reduction of places, particularly for those who have been out of the labour market for a prolonged period for health reasons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7996/00]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 116 together.

The Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, paragraph 4.2(4), provides for the establishment in early 2000 of a special working group comprising the social partners and representatives of Departments. The work of this group will include: identifying the key essential services currently being provided through CE and accessing the implications of those services for CE in terms of budget, number of places, having regard to the planned reduction of 4,500 places, as per the Government decision in July 1999 to restructure CE, and the objectives of CE, including the provision of community services. The findings of the working group will then be considered by Government.

This special working group will be established as soon as the PPF has been ratified by all parties and has taken effect. An audit has been undertaken by FÁS into certain key essential services provided under CE. A copy of the results of this audit has already been provided to the social partners with a view to progressing the work of this group. My Department has already had preliminary discussions with the Department of Education and Science regarding the possible mainstreaming of certain services in the education sector.