Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 November 2017
494. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will ensure that the focus on social inclusion is retained and copperfastened in community employment schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50808/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, Community Employment (CE) schemes offer opportunities for the long-term unemployed to gain valuable work experience and participate in training while they are paid an equivalent to their social welfare entitlement in addition to a top up payment. Participants on CE work for 19½ hours per week. Work opportunities are within communities and, in the main, support the provision of valuable community services in areas of disadvantage.
Following the publication earlier in the year of my Department’s Report – An Analysis of the Community Employment Programme – the Government approved a number of changes to the terms and conditions around participation on CE. In this context, a number of changes to the CE programme were introduced from 3 July 2017. The main purpose of these changes is to broaden the availability of CE to a greater number of people on the live register and to standardise other conditions around the length of time a person can participate on the programme.
In addition the report recommends that all CE places should be categorised into one of two strands, either activation or social inclusion. The purpose of this categorisation is to acknowledge that not all CE places are the same with some places providing an opportunity for those who are very distant from the labour market to work and deliver services in their local communities.
Other places are more directly related to employment opportunities with participants getting more labour market relevant work experience. In general, each CE scheme will have a mix of both activation and social inclusion places. The target progression rate for activation places is set at 50%, given their closer links to job opportunities, while the target progression rate for social inclusion places is set at 20%. In terms of measuring the performance of CE schemes in terms of the progression of participants, regard will be had for local labour market conditions and the training and education opportunities available.
Overall, my Department is conscious of the valuable contribution the schemes are making in the provision of services to individuals and communities across Ireland.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
