Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 July 2013
290. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person takes up temporary part-time work, whether this will disqualify them from being considered for a further 12 months from when they finish the temporary work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32941/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommunity Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis. CE helps unemployed people to re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to a work routine and to assist them to enhance/develop both their technical and personal skills.
Persons in receipt of jobseekers payments for 12 months or more are eligible for CE, but there is a maximum limit of 30 worked days allowed during the 12-month qualifying period, otherwise they become ineligible for CE. This is because persons who have gained work in excess of 30 days are considered not to be as far removed from the workforce as persons who have worked less than 30 days in the qualifying period and are therefore better suited to other interventions instead of CE. Provided the accumulated worked days do not exceed 30 at the time of application, the person will be eligible for CE. If they have exceeded 30 days, they will become eligible again provided they are still signing on and the cumulative total within the current 12-month qualifying period has dropped below 30 worked days.
