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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 26 Mar 2002

Vol. 551 No. 2

Written Answers. - Community Employment Schemes.

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

90 Mr. Allen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will make a statement on the position regarding the future of the community employment schemes and specifically regarding plans to incorporate some of the schemes into the health boards similar to the amalgamation of the schemes in schools with the Department of Education and Science; if she propose to introduce guidelines to ensure the continuity of employment for the 2,500 supervisors nationwide; and the plans there are to guarantee the continuity of service for those participants who are over 50 years and who, if let go, will be unlikely to work again. [9707/02]

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

100 Ms Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the way in which community employment supervisors are compensated when their job becomes redundant as in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9984/02]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 100 together.

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 and active discussions are under way between officials of my Department, the Department of Health and Children, the health boards and FÁS with a view to the mainstreaming of CE health services. The mainstreaming of such services will involve the phased transfer of current CE funding for these services to the Department of Health and Children.

It is intended that the level of funding to transfer to the Department of Health and Children will be based on the number of current participants and supervisors working in dedicated health projects, which will be identified based on criteria drawn up by the health boards as suitable for mainstreaming in this current phase. Every effort will be made to ensure continuity of services during the handover process.

Discussions to date regarding the mainstreaming of CE health services indicate that there are good prospects for supervisors currently employed by the sponsor organisations in the health sector to be retained by the sponsor organisation in a similar capacity following mainstreaming. However, it will be a matter for each organisation concerned to consider its particular needs and how best to deliver the service currently provided by CE under the new arrangements.

In the overall context of restructuring, CE supervisors will not be retained on the programme in cases where projects are discontinuing and there is no alternative employment available or acceptable to the supervisor. FÁS employment service will, however, make every effort to ensure that supervisors are made aware of other employment opportunities, including those arising in the social economy, as this programme is rolled out, or in other CE schemes. FÁS employment service will initiate contact with supervisors who may become redundant and provide the full range of employment supports, including job placement or further training if required. In addition, FÁS will ensure that redundant supervisors, with their consent, are placed on the regional database of community employment supervisors for future prospective employers.

Supervisors becoming redundant are entitled to statutory redundancy payments in accordance with the terms of the Redundancy Payments Acts, 1967 to 1991, and to minimum notice under the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act, 1973, as amended by the Worker Protection Act, 1991. The redundancy position in respect of the individual supervisor referred to in the question will be an operational matter for consider ation by FÁS in consultation with the relevant sponsor.
In August 2001 I announced new flexibility arrangements for the future operation of CE, which are of particular relevance for older workers. FÁS has discretion to extend, on a case by case basis, an individual's term on CE, having regard to his or her personal development needs and future employment prospects. I have no plans to increase the numbers remaining on the programme for extended periods beyond the new flexibility already introduced. As provided for under the PPF, an overall review of active labour market programmes will be undertaken by my Department in the near future under the aegis of the PPF standing committee on the labour market. The future policy direction of CE will be informed by the outcome of this process.
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