Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 February 2017
305. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason persons who are in receipt of payment from his Department and would like work experience and training suited to them are not allowed on the community employment scheme when the spaces cannot be filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5572/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommunity Employment (CE) is a labour market activation programme which helps long-term unemployed people (those 12 months or more in receipt of a jobseeker’s payment) and other disadvantaged groups to re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to work routine. The programme assists participants to enhance and develop skills which can then be used in the workplace. The Department’s priority in supporting CE is ensuring access to schemes that can provide jobseekers and other vulnerable groups with good quality work experience and training qualifications to support their progression into employment.
The criteria for participating on CE are based on age and length of time in receipt of various qualifying working age social welfare payments.
Those persons not meeting the criteria, for example, those who are signing for credits, or are receiving social welfare benefits from a different country, are not eligible to participate on CE. Persons who are engaged with the JobPath programme are also ineligible for CE for the duration of their participation on JobPath, but are immediately eligible upon exiting this programme.
With the ongoing welcome reductions in the Live Register, the Deputy will appreciate that issues such as the appropriate level of expenditure, the number of places and the criteria for participation on employment schemes, such as CE, all need to be considered. I hope to bring a Memo to Government in the coming weeks about these matters. If there are changes to be made, consultations with stakeholders will be facilitated.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
