78. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a drug specific community employment have been introduced on foot of the report of the working group on drugs rehabilitation; [23047/09]

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Deputy Dara Calleary): The role of FÁS in relation to the National Drugs Strategy is to facilitate the rehabilitation of stabilised drug users and to prepare them to re-enter the active labour market through focused training which will enable them to re-integrate into working life. This is being achieved through participation in a range of FÁS programmes, including Community Employment (CE), and also integration into mainline training aimed at progression into the active labour market.

FÁS aims to promote labour market re-integration through targeted and mainstream initiatives including guidance & support from the referral point which is the FÁS Employment Services/Local Employment Services and pre-CE initiatives to support stabilisation.

Currently, there are 1,000 ring fenced places for Drug users on Community Employment based in approximately 100 rehabilitative schemes. In addition, the Programme for Government contains a commitment to implement the recommendation of the Working Group on Drugs Rehabilitation to increase the number of places on specific Drug Rehabilitation Community Employment schemes.

Vol. 687 No. 3
Written Answers  -  Community Employment Schemes
Tuesday, 7 July 2009