Seán Sherlock
Ceist:48. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to change the eligibility criteria for community employment schemes. [18479/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 29 July 2020
Ceisteanna (48)
Freagraí scríofa
Community Employment (CE) is a positive initiative that enables the long-term unemployed to make a contribution to their communities whilst up-skilling themselves for employment opportunities that will become available. The scheme can play an important role in breaking the cycle of long-term unemployment for some people and improve their chances of employment.
In order to qualify for CE, a number of conditions, including age and being in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for a specific period, must be met. The focus of CE is on the cohort of long-term unemployed people and the programme is monitored on an on-going basis to ensure that the schemes are meeting the needs of communities and jobseekers.
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. There are no plans to change the eligibility criteria of CE at this juncture.