Vol. 547 No. 1
115 Mr. Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the steps which have been taken to ensure the smooth handover of the community employment projects for the disability sector from her Department to the Department of Health and Children; if all funding transferred will be focused on the service for which it was previously used in community employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2078/02]
In line with a commitment in the PPF, and following consultations with relevant Departments and the social partners, certain services currently provided by participants on community employment are being mainstreamed. This process has already commenced in the case of CE services in schools.
A FÁS audit of CE services carried out in May 2001 has previously identified in the region of 2,000 places in the area of health and personal social services, including services for the disabled, which may be suitable for mainstreaming. The Department of Health and Children supports the mainstreaming of these services in view of its potential to create more permanent funding conditions for the delivery of such services in the future. The allocation of funds to specific service providers will, thereafter, be a matter for the Department of Health and Children and the relevant health boards.
The modalities involved are being actively examined between my Department, the Department of Health and Children, the health boards and FÁS. It is intended that discussions will also be held with representatives from the major sponsor organisations to ensure that all the relevant issues are properly considered before the mainstreaming commences. I am very hopeful that current discussions can be brought to an early and satisfactory conclusion to enable mainstreaming to commence by late spring.
