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Community Employment Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 June 2020

Tuesday, 9 June 2020

Ceisteanna (652)

Norma Foley

Ceist:

652. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider extending the contract of community employment supervisors that are obliged to retire at 66 years of age that wish to continue working by one year in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. [9952/20]

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Freagraí scríofa

Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the valuable and dedicated service that CE sponsoring bodies provide in running CE schemes throughout the country. CE supervisors, as employees of those organisations, are an integral part of that good work.

CE is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and others with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis. The programme is delivered through independent CE sponsoring bodies that receive state funding from the Department to cover the cost of CE employee remuneration.

Funding for CE supervisors is available until the person reaches the state pension age. CE supervisors may apply for a State Pension on retirement from CE.

CE is a working age activation scheme and CE supervisors who continue to be funded through CE must be of working age. As you will appreciate, if my Department continues to fund CE supervisors that have reached the state pension age it would significantly impact on the opportunities for those people who are still of working age and also, would undermine the reputation of CE as an active labour market programme.

A number of CE supervisors have retired over the course of the Covid-19 emergency and recruitment of new CE supervisors has been managed by CE sponsoring bodies using processes that are in line with existing national guidelines. The recruitment of new CE supervisors offers valuable employment opportunities to those of working age, including those who may be unemployed at present.

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