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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 5 Dec 2000

Vol. 527 No. 3

Written Answers. - Community Employment Schemes.

Monica Barnes

Ceist:

385 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for Education and Science if the £46 million used for community employment schemes in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and transferred by agreement under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness to his Department has actually been transferred; and, if so, the way in which this money will be spent and the services it will provide. [28377/00]

Responsibility for the operation of community employment schemes in primary schools rests with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. In line with a Government decision to reduce the number of participants in CE schemes, officials from my Department are in discussions with their counterparts in that Department regarding this issue.

The figure of £46 million referred to by the Deputy represents the cost of the number of CE participants employed in schools as secretaries, caretakers and classroom assistants, based on a FÁS audit of CE essential services in November 1999. Proposals for the transfer of funding equivalent to this amount are being prepared by officials from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and my Department at the moment. Once those proposals are finalised, consultations with the social partners, in accordance with framework IV of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, will be arranged under the auspices of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
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