Written Answers Nos. 1000-1023
1000. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the progress made to date with the roll-out of the LEADER programme 2014 to 2020; the expenditure incurred to date on the programme by administrative costs and projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45170/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraLEADER is a multi-annual programme which has a total budget of €250 million over the period to 2020.
The level of project activity under the LEADER programme has increased significantly this year, and 1,450 projects have now been approved for funding of over €46.3 million. A further 329 project applications, requesting an additional €22.1 million, are at various stages in the approval process.
Project payments have also increased significantly in recent months, as approved works are completed and claims are submitted. Over €8 million of project expenditure has been incurred in 2018, compared to just under €700,000 in 2017.
Total expenditure on the LEADER programme since it commenced, effectively in 2016, has amounted to approximately €31 million. This comprises:
€1.47 million in preparatory costs incurred by the LAGs to develop Local Development Strategies,
€20.31 million in administration costs of the LAGs and the cost of their engagement with communities to generate projects, and
€9.27 million on project expenditure.
The progress now being made by the Local Action Groups in approving projects will result in a continued increase in project approvals and payments under the LEADER programme for the remainder of the year. This progress has been assisted by improvements made by my Department in the last year, to the applications and approvals process, in consultation with the LAGs.
1001. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if a company (details supplied) has undertaken work within his Department's remit to build or renovate projects over the past ten years; if so, the project name and location; the year in which it was built; if building fire safety inspections have been carried out on the projects since construction; the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45206/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince the establishment of my Department in July 2017, I can confirm that the company referred to by the Deputy has not undertaken any work to build or renovate projects within my Department's remit.
1002. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when an outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme grant payment will issue to a group (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45261/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (previously known as the Rural Recreation Scheme) provides funding for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure and for the maintenance and promotion of existing outdoor recreational infrastructure in rural Ireland.
A total of €13.6 million was allocated to 251 projects under the 2017 scheme, including the project referred to by the Deputy.
I can confirm that a claim for payment in respect of the project in question has recently been received from the relevant Local Authority, and payment is currently being processed.
1003. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of an application for CLÁR funding submitted by an association (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45269/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe CLÁR programme provides funding for small scale infrastructural projects in disadvantaged rural areas that have experienced significant levels of depopulation.
The 2018 CLÁR programme provided funding under the following Measures:
Measure 1: Support for Schools/Community Safety Measures
Measure 2: Play Areas/Multi-Use Games Areas
Measure 3: First Response Support Measure
Measure 4: Mobility and Cancer Care Transport Measure
Applications under Measures 1 and 2 were made through relevant Local Authorities, in consultation with local communities. Each relevant Local Authority was invited to submit a maximum of 15 applications, in order of priority, in respect of Measures 1 and 2 combined.
Some Local Authorities submitted lists containing more than 15 applications. I can confirm that an application in respect of the group referred to by the Deputy was included in a list submitted to my Department by the relevant Local Authority. However, I understand that this application was outside the top 15 priority applications on the list and could not be considered on that basis.
The full list of projects funded under the 2018 CLÁR programme are available on my Department's website at: https://drcd.gov.ie/about/rural/clar/.
1004. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when a decision will issue on an application by an agency (details supplied) under the CLÁR scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45300/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe CLÁR programme provides funding for small scale infrastructural projects in disadvantaged rural areas that have experienced significant levels of depopulation.
The 2018 CLÁR programme provided funding under the following Measures:
Measure 1: Support for Schools/Community Safety measures
Measure 2: Play Areas/Multi-Use Games Areas
Measure 3: First Response Support Measure
Measure 4: Mobility and Cancer Care Transport
An application under Measure 4 was received from the organisation referred to by the Deputy. However, the application did not comply with the eligibility criteria indicated in the scheme guidelines. The organisation in question has been in correspondence with my Department regarding the matter and a response has been issued, explaining why the application was not successful.
A total of 389 projects were approved for funding under the 2018 CLÁR programme, with a total allocation of €11.8 million across the four Measures. The successful projects are listed on my Department's website at https://drcd.gov.ie/about/rural/clar/.
1005. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the details of engagements, meetings or correspondence that each Minister of State in his Department has had with a person (details supplied) in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45464/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have been informed that neither the current Minister of State at my Department, Seán Canney TD, nor his predecessor, Sean Kyne TD, have had any engagements, meetings or correspondence with the person in question in the past three years.
For the sake of completeness, I would refer the Deputy also to my answer to Parliamentary Question No. 310 of 18th October 2018.
1006. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of libraries with access to high-speed broadband; the number of libraries with connection speeds above 30 Mbps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45573/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe provision of public library services, including broadband facilities, is primarily a matter for local authorities in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001. Accordingly, the data sought by the Deputy is not ordinarily collected or maintained by my Department. That said, the Department is compiling the information sought and will forward it to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.
1007. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the details of the applications made by Kildare County Council in 2018 for the rural recreation fund or other similar schemes; the status of such applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45615/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (formerly the Rural Recreation Scheme) is part of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development and provides funding for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure or the necessary maintenance, enhancement or promotion of existing outdoor recreational infrastructure in Ireland.
On 28 May last, I announced details of an indicative allocation of €12 million for the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme under three separate measures:
- Measure 1: Small maintenance/promotion of existing infrastructure (maximum grant €20,000)
- Measure 2: Medium scale repair/upgrade and development of new small/medium infrastructure (maximum grant €200,000), and
- Measure 3: Repair/upgrade and development of larger, more strategic projects (grant of between €200,001 and €500,000).
One application was submitted by Kildare County Council under Measure 1 of the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme. However, this application was unsuccessful as it did not comply with the eligibility criteria indicated in the scheme guidelines.
Kildare County Council also submitted one application under Measure 2 of the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme. It did not submit any application under Measure 3. Applications under Measure 2 are currently being assessed by my officials and I hope to be in a position to announce the successful projects shortly.
Kildare County Council has submitted applications this year under other schemes operated by my Department, including the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and the Local Improvement Scheme. Details of the various schemes operated by my Department and the projects which received funding under these schemes are available on my Department's website, ww.drcd.gov.ie.
1008. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of an application (details supplied). [45739/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department funds a Libraries Capital Programme that will invest €29m in 19 projects, as well as the My Open Library service, between 2016 and 2022. The programme includes the recently opened library in Athy, which was submitted as a priority proposal by Kildare County Council. Newbridge library was not submitted as a priority proposal and, accordingly, was not considered for funding under the programme.
The Libraries Capital Programme is currently fully committed; however, funding for new library projects can be considered as additional funds become available. That said, the provision of library services, including the provision of library buildings, is primarily a matter for local authorities in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001.
1009. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will report on the allocation in 2019 to North-South bodies in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45902/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department does not have one of the North South Bodies under its remit.
That said, it is an Accountable Department for certain measures under the Programme for Peace and Reconciliation 2014-2020 (PEACE IV) and will provide some €5m for projects under the programme in 2019. This funding will be paid to programme beneficiaries via the Special EU Programmes Body, which manages the programme on behalf of the Irish and UK Governments.
1010. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount his Department has spent in 2018 on carrying out commissions of investigations and State inquiries as recommended by the independent review mechanism and State tribunals; the number and name of these investigations; the individual costs in relation to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45915/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has not carried out commissions of investigations or any State inquiries in 2018.
1011. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if low paid workers in sectors impacted by the VAT increase are protected from a wage cut as a result of the increase such as the case in which a worker paid on the basis of commission has the cost of the increased rate subtracted from their pay while the service remains the same price; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44602/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has a very particular and limited role in relation to wage setting, and this is restricted to the setting of the National Minimum Wage (on the basis of recommendations from the Low Pay Commission). In terms of wage-setting generally, however, the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, through its responsibilities for industrial relations matters, has a role with regard to relations between businesses and employers and their employees, and in relation to wage-setting more particularly through mechanisms such as Registered Employment Agreements, Joint Labour Committees and Sectoral Employment Orders, in the context of the industrial relations and wage bargaining spheres. Matters therefore, which do not arise from any unlawful deductions from wages but rather to any knock-on impact on earnings of employees arising from cost-savings measures implemented by employers, would be a matter for my colleague the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation.
The Payment of Wages Act 1991 establishes a range of rights for all employees in relation to payment of wages, one of which is protection against unlawful deductions from wages. However, section 5 of the Act permits an employer to make the following deductions (or receive the following payments) from the wages of an employee :
(a) any deduction (or payment) required or authorised in legislation;
(b) any deduction or payment required or authorised by a term of the employee’s contract; and
(c) any deduction agreed to in writing in advance by the employee.
Any change to an employment contract must be agreed between the employer and the employee. The requirement for both the employer's and the employee's consent to changes in the terms of the contract is part of contract law. It is also important to note that the provisions of the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 would continue to apply even in a situation where a negotiated reduction might be agreed between the parties.
The Payment of Wages Act provides that, where an employee considers that there may have been a contravention of the Act, the employee may submit a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) within 6 months of the date of the alleged contravention The Workplace Relations Customer Service Section of the WRC provides information on employees’ rights and how to obtain redress if an employee considers that their employment rights may have been infringed. They can be contacted at Lo-call: 1890 80 80 90 or via its website www.workplacerelations.ie. The Single Complaint Form for submitting complaints regarding breaches of employment rights is also available at www.workplacerelations.ie. An explanatory booklet on the Payment of Wages Act is also available on that website.
1012. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated yield to the Exchequer in a full year for every 1% rise in employers' PRSI. [45189/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe estimated yield to the Exchequer in a full year for each 1% increase in employer's PRSI is:
|
1% in the employer PRSI rate |
Increased revenue |
Employments affected |
|
Lower rate |
€42.5m |
807,744 |
|
Higher rate |
€736.1m |
2,142,497 |
|
Total |
€778.6m |
2,950,241 |
These estimates are based on PRSI Class A contributors. They use the latest available data and reflect macro-economic indicators for 2019. They also reflect the planned increase in the lower threshold for employers' PRSI from €376 to €386 from 1 January 2019.
It should be noted that these estimates do not take into account any possible changes in employer behaviour arising from changing rates of contribution.
1013. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to reintroduce the dietary supplement payment or introduce an equivalent which can assist those who must adhere to a specific diet due to a medical condition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44607/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraDiet supplement, administered under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, is payable to qualifying persons, in receipt of the supplement prior to February 2014, who have been prescribed a special diet as a result of a specified medical condition. There are currently 2,500 in receipt of diet supplement at a cost of €1.4 million in 2018.
Following the outcome of a review of the costs of healthy eating and specialised diets by the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute commissioned by the Department during 2013, the scheme has been closed to new applicants from 1 February 2014. The research showed that the average costs across all of the retail outlets of the diets supplemented under the scheme can be met from within one-third of the minimum personal rate of social welfare payment, i.e. the SWA rate which was then paid at €186 per week. The weekly rate of SWA has increased to €196 further to Budget 2018. The diet supplement scheme was discontinued for new applicants on the basis of this evidence.
Existing recipients continue to receive the diet supplement at the current rate of payment for as long as they continue to have an entitlement to the scheme or until their circumstances change. This measure ensured that nobody was immediately worse off by the closure of the scheme.
In cases of particular hardship, officials continue to have the legislative power to award a SWA payment in cases of exceptional need.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1014. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a decision has been made on an application for illness benefit by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44608/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn Illness Benefit (IB) claim was received on 24th September 2018 for the person concerned. Unfortunately, the claim was disallowed as he did not meet the PRSI conditions required for payment of IB.
If he has an urgent financial need, he should contact the Community Welfare Service through the local Intreo Centre.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1015. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) will be exempted from the requirement of regularly reporting to Turas Nua; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44619/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe primary goal of my Department’s activation services, including the JobPath service, is to move people from full-time and part-time unemployment to full-time and sustained employment.
From 1st June this year all long term jobseekers who are currently engaged with the JobPath service and those who may be referred in future, have the option of applying for Community Employment (CE) placement, thus facilitating the combination of the strengths of the two interventions. It will, in particular, enable those people with the JobPath service to not only continue to receive the personalized employment counselling and job search support provided by their JobPath personal advisors but also to avail of a CE placement which will provide valuable occupational activity and work experience.
Application for participation on CE by JobPath customers is entirely voluntary and at their discretion. However, continued engagement with the JobPath service is a condition of opting to avail of both schemes.
The JobPath service has been adapted to cater for those who opt to take up a CE Scheme and all meetings and activities are scheduled to take account of the Scheme commitments. For example if a person is committed to participate in the employment scheme for 5 mornings per week, any JobPath appointments and other interventions will be scheduled for the afternoons. The JobPath service providers will continue to provide all the necessary supports.
I note your concerns regarding travel and health issues of this customer.
The JobPath contract with the service provider stipulates that a person should not have to travel more than 60 minutes in normal circumstances to attend an appointment. Where a person has transport difficulties, the JobPath company can assist the person with travel arrangements tailoring the service around their particular travel requirements. Travel expenses, excluding taxi fares, can also be reimbursed depending on the circumstances.
If a jobseeker feels he/she is unable to participate in an activation service due to health issues they should contact their local Intreo Centre to explore if an illness related social welfare payment may be more appropriate, such as disability allowance, illness benefit, or invalidity pension. However, given the customer has availed of a CE placement, I am confident that by engaging with Turas Nua on these issues the situation can be improved.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
1016. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason an illness benefit payment has ceased for a person (details supplied); when the payment will be reinstated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44657/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Illness Benefit claim for the person concerned is now certified to 27th February 2019 and all arrears due in relation to the past 4 weeks have issued. The customer's normal payment pattern should now resume.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1017. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when illness benefit and arrears owing will issue in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44676/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned was certified to 29th October 2018. Her Illness Benefit claim is now closed as the customer has returned to work and payment for the full period of the claim has issued.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1018. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason illness benefit for a person (details supplied) was ceased; when payment of the benefit will recommence in view of the circumstances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44684/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Illness Benefit claim for the person concerned is now certified and paid to 11th November 2018.
If the customer remains ill and unfit for work, a further medical certificate should be submitted to the Department as soon as possible in order for further payments to issue.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1019. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated amount it would cost in 2019 if the frequency of applying for a grant for hearing aids was reduced from every four years to three years using the 2017 application figures, if the maximum grant available for one hearing aid was to be increased from €500 to €600 and for two hearing aids from €1,000 to €1,200; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44692/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe medical appliance scheme operated as part of treatment benefits provides a grant towards the purchase of hearing aids. Currently this is paid at 50% of the purchase price, to a max of €500 per aid and a maximum of two appliances in any 4 year period. Repairs to hearing aids can also be claimed for under the scheme.
The grant was increased on a number of occasions in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s to reflect the cost of the new digital technology being introduced during that period. The grant was paid at a maximum of €830 per aid (€1,660 for 2) with a frequency period of 2 years.
This was reduced a number of times since 2009, under FEMPI the grant reduced from €830 to €760 per aid. Then in 2012, it reduced to €500 per aid and the frequency of replacement was extended from 2 years to 4 years. These changes were introduced to reflect the reducing cost of digital technology and the increased reliability and longevity of the newer digital devices.
Applications for hearing aids have increased by 70% since 2015, due in part to the extension of the scheme to the self-employed in March 2017.
The potential increased expenditure resulting from reducing the frequency period from 4 to 3 years will depend of the uptake by customers. This is difficult to accurately project, as if hearing aids are working well and proving reliable, as many digital devices continue to do for considerably longer than 4 years, people are unlikely to want to incur unnecessary expenditure. It is estimated that currently circa 25% of customers replace their hearing aids every 4 years.
In 2016 there were over 9,000 applications under the medical appliance scheme with some 16,000 hearing aids grant approved, at a cost of €7.5 million. If 25% of the customers who got aids in 2016 re-applied in 2019 as opposed to 2020, the additional cost in 2019 could be circa €2 million.
Increasing the grant amount from €500 to €600 per aid could potentially increase the annual cost by 20% from €10.3 million to €12.4 million per annum, based on 2017 applications numbers and cost.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1020. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a dependent child allowance payment will be paid to a person (details supplied) in relation to a carer’s allowance payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44717/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.
Where a person in receipt of full-rate CA has a qualified child who is 18 years of age or over and is in full-time day education, an increase for that qualified child (IQC) is payable. Such an increase is payable until the child reaches 22 years of age or up to the end of the academic year in which the child reaches 22.
The person concerned has a 19 year old qualified child who is attending full-time day education in Sligo Institute of Technology.
Accordingly an increase was awarded to the person concerned on 24 October 2018.
Arrears for the period 5 July 2018 to 24 October 2018 have also issued.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1021. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if exceptions can be made to the rules governing the maximum period of time a person can be on a community employment or Tús scheme; if so, the circumstances of age thresholds that apply; the details in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44730/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe aim of the Community Employment (CE) programme is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and unemployed people by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their communities. The programme helps break the cycle of unemployment and improve a person’s chances of returning to the labour market. Participation on CE is intended to be for a temporary fixed-term. These placements are not full-time sustainable jobs. There are participation limits in place to ensure that as many unemployed people as possible are able to benefit from the scheme.
A number of new conditions were introduced on CE in July 2017 to further support progression and broaden access to CE to a wider range of people. In general all CE placements for new entrants aged between 21 and 55 years will be for 1 year – however CE participants, working towards a major educational award, can seek to extend participation by up to two years to enable them to reach the required standard of qualification. In addition, those over 55 years of age can remain on CE for three years.
An overall lifetime limit of 6 years will apply to all CE participants (7 years for those from a disability payment). A person may re-qualify for CE after 12 months of being in receipt of a qualifying payment, provided they have not reached their lifetime limit.
Participants over age 62 are allowed to participate on a continuous basis up to the State Pension age on the CE Service Support Stream (SSS), subject to availability of places on the SSS, satisfactory performance on the scheme and to annual approval by the Department. The places allocated for these participants within each individual CE scheme are subject to limitation criteria.
On the other hand, Tús is a community work placement initiative which aims to provide short-term work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year. The duration of the Tús contract, which is a maximum of 12 months, was set to reflect a number of inter-related elements which ensured the following:
(a) that the number of placements available were open to those on the live register,
(b) that weaknesses identified in other work programmes resulting from longer duration placements were not replicated in Tús, and
(c) to ensure that Tús was in line with the objectives set out in the Government’s activation policies in Pathways to Work.
This approach ensured that as many people as possible who are unemployed for over 12 months benefited from the initiative. The existing 12 months duration on the scheme is deemed to be adequate to meet the scheme's objectives.
These schemes are kept under constant review to ensure that they remain fit for purpose and continue to meet the needs of the Department's customers.
1022. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the review of the post-2012 pension entitlements; when increased payments will begin; the number of persons written to by 19 October 2018, by county; the number of persons remaining to be written to by county; and the estimated timeline for writing to them in tabular form. [44736/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 23 January last, the Government agreed to allow pensioners, born on or after the 1st September 1946, affected by the 2012 changes in rate bands, to have their state pension (contributory) entitlement calculated under an interim “Total Contributions Approach” (TCA). The changes also provide for up to 20 years of home caring periods in the calculation of that entitlement, for those who took time out of the workplace for parenting children under age 12, or individuals who needed increased levels of care.
The changes apply to those who reached pension age on or after 1 September 2012 who were awarded less than maximum rate, on post Budget 2012 rate bands. The changes do not apply to anyone already entitled to maximum rate state pension (contributory).
Currently there are approximately 79,000 pensioners in this category and my Department is now in the process of issuing Information Letters to them
Work on examination of the social insurance records of the pensioners concerned commenced in September. As social insurance records are unique to individual pensioners, this manual examination phase is expected to continue to the end of the year. To date, over sixty temporary staff members have been recruited to work on this phase. Further recruitment will take place in January 2019 when the first pension reviews are expected to get under way and it is anticipated that the first review outcomes will be notified to pensioners during Quarter 1 2019.
Payment of increases, where awarded, will be made immediately after an individual's review is completed. If a pensioner does not qualify for an increased rate, they will continue to receive their existing rate of entitlement.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
1023. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason community employment sponsors are not given the same access to potential participants as RSS or Tús sponsors; her plans to review this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44737/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides a range of activation supports and programmes catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. These supports include Community Employment (CE), the Tús programme and the Rural Social Scheme (RSS).
RSS was introduced in 2004 and provides opportunities for farmers and fishermen/women who are currently in receipt of specified social welfare payments to work to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. Communities benefit from the skills and talents of local farmers and fishermen and participants have the opportunity to improve existing skills, or develop new skills, while performing this valuable work in their local communities. RSS is voluntary and the person applies to participate.
Tús commenced operation in 2011 as a response to the high level of unemployment and the large numbers on the Live Register. It is a community work placement initiative which aims to provide short-term work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year. The duration of the Tús contract is a maximum of 12 months and this ensures that as many people as possible who are unemployed for over 12 months are able to benefit from the initiative.
When RSS and Tús were introduced it was decided that the existing network of local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta – referred to as Implementing Bodies (IBs) - were best placed to manage the programmes. Tús is managed by 48 IBs, while RSS is managed by 36 IBs.
My Department assumed responsibility for the Community Employment (CE) programme in 2012. The aim of the programme, which began in 1994, is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and unemployed people by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their communities. The programme helps break the cycle of unemployment and improve a person’s chances of returning to the labour market.
CE schemes are typically sponsored by voluntary and community organisations wishing to benefit the local community. As the employers, these sponsoring organisations contract with the Department, on an annual basis, to provide jobseekers and other vulnerable groups with good quality work experience and training qualifications to support their progression into employment.
Jobseekers receive information about all available employment support options, including Community Employment (CE), through the Intreo Service. They also receive one-to-one support from a case officer and all available and suitable options are discussed.
Sponsors can also promote their scheme vacancies within their local communities. At a local level, various methods of promoting CE have been arranged between my Department and local CE schemes, including targeting potentially eligible jobseekers to attend a CE Job-fair, where details of CE vacancies and employment opportunities are provided.
In addition CE sponsors can advertise their vacancies free-of-charge on the Department's JobsIreland website, www.jobsireland.ie. The process of posting vacancies is relatively straightforward and a tailored video is available online to assist sponsors. There are currently over 1,800 CE vacancies advertised on the site. These are visible to anyone who logs onto the site and users can narrow the search by location.
It is reasonable to assume that any difficulties in filling CE vacancies can be related to the significant drop in the Live Register over the last year or so arising from the much improved labour market. Any sponsor who has any recruitment concerns should contact their nearest Intreo Centre who will provide assistance.
As the economy continues to recover and the overall level of unemployment continues to fall, the Department recognises the need to adapt these work schemes to the changing circumstances, opportunities and needs of jobseekers and others.
My Department will continue to review these schemes and continue to work with stakeholders in planning the longer term needs of jobseekers and other customers. It remains committed to ensuring that the social inclusion and community benefits that accrue from these schemes continue to be recognised and supported.
