Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 January 2012
319 Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Social Protection the person who will be undertaking the departmental review of community employment schemes; the criteria that will be used to assess these schemes; when the review will be complete; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4829/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have directed that a review of the financial resources of individual projects supported by Community Employment be completed by the end of March. The purpose of the review is to examine the income and funding of sponsoring organisations in terms of their ability to continue to deliver the programme. As part of the review alternative sources of support will be examined, particularly the level of funding from other State agencies. The review will also seek to establish if income is generated by scheme activity and the potential for utilisation of these funds to cover project costs. The outcome of each review will provide a clear picture of the core funding required for each CE scheme. This will assist my Department in ensuring a fair distribution of the funding available for these schemes.
This review of financial resources is being carried out initially by local DSP staff responsible for the administration of the scheme, and is being co-ordinated centrally by the relevant Assistant Secretary of the Department. Separately, the Community Employment Scheme is also included in a policy review of the overall range of employment support, activation and work schemes operated by the Department). The aim of the review is to assess the schemes, individually and in combination, "in the light of their contribution to the Department's policy objective of supporting people of working age into employment" and to "recommend any changes to the current range of schemes/programmes seen as required on the basis of the analysis carried out". The full terms of reference and a full list of the schemes involved are as follows.
The review has been under way since mid-2011 and is scheduled for completion by the end of March. It is being carried out by an Assistant Principal Officer of the Department under the overall direction of a Principal Officer. Prior to completion, it will be subject to oversight from the Policy Committee of the Department and of senior management. As is normal for such reviews within the Department, its conclusions and recommendations will also be the subject of consultation with stakeholders of the range of programmes involved.
Terms of reference for policy review of employment support programmes
1. Identify, outline and analyse the overarching objective of activation support for people of working age outlining the short, medium and long term policies in this area; examine the continuing rationale and relevance of all relevant scheme objectives highlighting any overlaps.
2. Broadly examine recent, current and prospective future trends in the Irish labour market with a view to informing necessary activation measures in the short to medium term.
3. Examine the continuing rationale and relevance of all scheme objectives and examine their compatibility with the overall strategy of the Department, in particular the policy objective of supporting people of working age into employment (including through increased employability);
4. Broadly define the inputs (funding and staffing), processes and tangible outputs and outcomes associated with each scheme and identify the level and trend of these outputs and outcomes where possible, with particular regard to the number of recipients of the scheme, and identify any information gaps that emerge;
5. Evaluate the degree to which the objectives of all schemes warrant the allocation of public funding on a current and ongoing basis in the light of their contribution to the Department's policy objective of supporting people of working age into employment. Examine the scope for alternative policy or organisational approaches to achieving the overarching objective in a more efficient and/or effective manner; particularly the possibility of unifying programmes that have similar objectives and target client groups.
6. Recommend any changes to the current range of schemes/programmes seen as required on the basis of the analysis carried out, and specify potential future performance indicators that might be used to better monitor the performance of schemes.
Programmes covered by policy review
Employment Support and Activation Schemes
Back to Education Allowance
Part Time Education Option
Education Training and Development
Out of pocket Expenses
Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
Short Term Enterprise Allowance
Credit Union loan guarantee fund
Activation and Family Support Programme
Technical Assistance and Training scheme
Work Schemes
Community Employment
Rural Social Scheme
TÚS
Jobs Initiative
Work Placement Programme
National Internship Scheme
320 Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount that will be saved by the cut in the materials grant to community employment schemes to €500; if this reduction has been enacted as yet; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4830/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraCurrently, there are 1,143 community employment schemes in operation nationally with 23,300 places of which there are circa 22,000 participants. The overall estimated budget stands at €315 million for 2012. The training and materials grant for Community Employment is based on receipted eligible expenditure. The maximum training and materials grant for Community Employment will reduce from €1,500 to €500 per participant per annum from the 1st of January. At the time of the announcement of the reduction, the estimated saving identified was €27.5m in a full calendar year.
The current review is based on the above reduction and following completion of this review a more accurate figure will be obtained. Some of these savings have already been achieved in 2011. There is an initial review of the financial resources of all schemes to be completed in March 2012 to identify any scheme funding shortfalls. As stated previously, I have made a commitment that no Community Employment Scheme would close pending the completion of this review. Where schemes are experiencing funding difficulties they should contact the local Community Development Officer.
