Niall Collins
Ceist:977. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a matter (details supplied) regarding community employment schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14377/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 24 March 2021
Ceisteanna (977)
Freagraí scríofa
The Community Employment (CE) Scheme is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis.
The challenges caused by the Covid-19 public health restrictions introduced over the course of the last year, has impacted CE schemes, referrals to CE schemes and the services they provide. My Department has continued to provide support to CE schemes during this period, including extending the contracts of participants whose contracts were due to come to an end during periods of Level 5 public health restrictions. The latest extension, to 2 July 2021, will provide many participants with additional time to complete their training and work experience on CE. Referrals and placements to CE schemes will begin to increase further as current Covid Level 5 restrictions ease.
Some CE participant training has continued online throughout the Level-5 restrictions. However, where a CE participant finishes up on CE and has not completed their planned training, they will be able to continue their development through other training supports provided by my Department such as the Training Support Grant (TSG) and the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA). This will be coordinated by the Department’s case officers who will engage with the former CE participant to discuss the available options.
It is not proposed to further-extend all participant contracts by 12 months at this juncture. Contract extension dates will continue to be monitored in line with Government public health restrictions in place over the coming months. At the same time, I need to ensure that CE places are available for the existing and incoming cohort of long term unemployed, once we start to move beyond COVID public health restrictions.
One of the measures introduced in the July Jobs Stimulus announced by the Government last July, in response to the impact of the pandemic and resultant public health restrictions on the labour market and the economy, was to increase the capacity of the PES in Intreo Offices and through contracted services to further support jobseekers through job search advice and assistance. The capacity of Intreo Centres is being increased, with the assignment of an additional 100 Job Coaches. Recruitment for these posts is almost complete, with an additional 85 job coaches now in place in these new roles. In addition, my Department is currently preparing procurement exercises for contracted employment services. The first phase will be the provision of employment services in some areas not currently served by a Local Employment Service (LES) contractor and the second phase will be to procure new contracted services from 2022.
These additional resources will be central to meeting the increased demand for services, including recruitment to existing employment support schemes, post COVID, given the impact of the resultant public health restrictions on employment in some sectors of the economy.
CE sponsoring authorities are encouraged by my Department officials to promote awareness of the benefits of CE in their local communities and when advertising vacancies. They can advertise their vacancies on www.jobsireland.ie, the Department’s online job advertising and recruitment service for job candidates and employers, including CE sponsors.
Jobseekers are advised that they can register their interest through this website or by contacting a case officer in their local Intreo Centre who will determine their eligibility for the CE scheme. The facility to register interest in CE schemes was introduced on the website in August 2020 in response to the Covid 19 pandemic and details of those who have registered interest are distributed daily to the relevant Intreo Centre for follow up by a case officer directly with the jobseeker.
In addition to the expressions of interest received via JobsIreland.ie, Department case officers can also match CE vacancies from the website with potential CE candidates to identify possible referral and placement opportunities for long term unemployed jobseekers. Department case officers also use the system to review current CE vacancies to identify potential CE placements. Referrals to CE have continued throughout the current level 5 restrictions where it is safe and appropriate to do so.
A new CE and TÚS operational forum is currently being established and will comprise of representatives from CE and TÚS schemes and officials from the Department of Social Protection. The platform will provide a valuable opportunity to discuss operational issues arising on the schemes that may be impacting on service delivery in the communities.
In relation to the 3,000 additional employment support places announced in the July 2020 stimulus package, the Department is currently engaging with a number of new and existing stakeholders to decide on how these valuable new opportunities will be made available to the long-term unemployed and those furthest removed from the labour market.
I trust this clarifies the issues raised by the Deputy.