Community Employment Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 February 2012

Wednesday, 15 February 2012

Ceisteanna (156, 157)

Gerry Adams

Ceist:

155 Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a list of all community employment schemes in County Louth in tabular form; the numbers of participants per scheme; the length of time each scheme will be active; the location of each scheme; the supervisor of each scheme; the funding that was provided to each scheme in 2009, 2010, 2011; the funding that will be provided in 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8676/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton)

There are currently 29 Community Employment Projects with a total of 743 participants and 44 supervisors in place in County Louth. Projects run for a 52 week period and contracts are renewed at various stages throughout the year.

Attached is a breakdown of Co Louth projects showing the number of participants, project start and finish dates, the name and location of each project and the number of supervisors attached to each project. Funding to County Louth projects is estimated as follows:

Year	€m
2009	circa €14.2 million
2010	circa €15.4 million
2011	circa €14.7 million

Funding for County Louth Projects in 2012 is estimated to be €14.3 million.

The following revised reply was received on 23 February 2012.

The response included a miscalculation, therefore, public records should be amended to reflect the following funding for CE projects in County Louth:

Year	€m
2009	circa €11.46 million
2010	circa €12.49 million
2011	circa €11.83 million

Estimated Funding for CE Projects in County Louth 2012 is €11.3 million.

Gerry Adams

Ceist:

156 Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Social Protection when she expects the review into the community employment schemes she announced in the aftermath of Budget 2012; when the review will conclude; if the review team have been consulting with CE scheme supervisors as part of the review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8677/12]

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton)

Following the reductions in the CE training and materials grant announced in the Budget, the Department of Social Protection commenced a review of the financial resources of individual schemes. This review is scheduled to be completed by the end of March.

All sponsors have been contacted by Department officers at local level to brief them on the review, discuss their returns and deal wit h any queries that the sponsors may have. The submissions will be made to these officers.

In addition to these local discussions, discussion and consultation with the main representative bodies and stakeholders, including supervisors, involved in schemes will take place over the coming weeks in regard to funding.