70. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide more stability for those on community employment schemes who are being moved on despite a need in particular service. [19755/14] 

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton): Community Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme/intervention designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons (including lone parents, recovering drug misusers and those with a disability) with an opportunity to engage in useful part-time work within their communities on a temporary, fixed-term basis. CE helps unemployed people to re-enter the active workforce and assists them to enhance/develop both their technical and personal skills by providing opportunities for individual training and development.

  There are currently two options for participation on CE based on the length of time a person is in receipt of the qualifying social welfare payments:
  -Part-time Integration Option (PTI) which is a one-year programme of CE for those who have generally been in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payments for 52 continuous weeks or more; and

  -Part-time Job Option (PTJ) which is a three year programme subject to annually renewable contracts for those who have generally been in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payments for 156 continuous weeks or more.

  Since April 2000, lifetime cumulative participation on CE by an individual is limited to:

  -3 years (156 weeks) for persons under 55 years of age;

  -6 years (312 weeks) for persons of 55 years of age up to and including 65 years of age; and

-Eligible persons in receipt of a qualifying disability-linked social welfare payment will be eligible for one additional year on CE over the standard maximum participation caps, i.e. 4 years cumulative maximum time on CE for those under 55 years of age (Part-Time Job Option only), and 7 years cumulative maximum time for those between 55 and 65 (Part-Time Job Option only).

  In terms of extending a participant’s time on CE for another year under the Part-Time Integration Option, the CE Sponsor must submit a proposal for the re-engagement of participants to the Department officials at least 8 weeks before the participant’s annual contract is due to expire. In the application for re-engagement, the Sponsor must identify the circumstances for the re-engagement of each participant, in line with the following criteria:
  (i)Where the participant would benefit from continued participation in terms of additional development and training by clearly outlining his/her specific continued engagement within their Individual Learner Plan; or
  (ii)Where completion of a project has been delayed for a short time for reasons outside the control of the Sponsor,

In general, criterion (i) above will be the main basis on which re-engagements will be considered while criterion (ii) is to be treated as exceptional. A maximum of 10% of current Part-Time Integration participants on a project can apply for re-engagement for a further year. This does not   apply to Part Time Job Option participants.

  For Part-Time Job Option participants, the Sponsor must again supply the details in writing at least 8 weeks before the project year ends, or the participant’s annual contract is due to expire. Persons considered “job-ready” by their Supervisor at their contract renewal time will not be extended into a further year.

  The operating procedures for Community Employment are kept under review and are updated regularly. All amendments are notified to Department staff and CE Sponsors as soon as they are agreed.