Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 February 2017
306. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the practice in which persons in receipt of jobseeker's payments who take up temporary employment for a period are then prevented from entering a community employment scheme until they are on jobseeker's payments again for 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5574/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommunity Employment (CE) is an employment programme with the aim of helping the long-term unemployed to re-enter the workforce by breaking their cycle of unemployment through a return to a regular work routine. CE also provides training and development to participants.
The basic eligibility requirement is that a person is currently in receipt of a CE-qualifying payment from my Department for the requisite period of time, for example jobseeker’s allowance for a minimum period of twelve months. Breaks off the Live Register (worked days) up to a maximum of 30 days within the 12 months prior to the CE application are allowed in assessing eligibility for the CE programme. The 30 days can be any combination of single days or consecutive days. In these circumstances, a person does not have to wait 12 months on a jobseeker’s payment after their last worked day to be eligible for CE.
Persons who are not eligible for the CE programme may be eligible for other interventions from my Department. The eligibility criteria for CE are kept under review to ensure that it remains fit for purpose and that there is the maximum utilisation of CE places.
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 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.
