Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 February 2026
27. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will conduct a full review of the CE scheme to ensure that placement processes are efficient, responsive, and supportive of participants seeking to return to work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14229/26]
View answerMy Department's Intreo Employment Service provides nationwide support to jobseekers through a structured and mandatory engagement process that offers tailored, individualised employment support. Employment Services Officers engage with jobseekers on a one to one basis to develop a Personal Progression Plan, which will identify steps the jobseeker will take to support them to progress to sustainable employment. There are a wide range of supports on offer in terms of further education, training, upskilling, work placements as well as programmes like the Community Employment (CE) to support people to return to work.
The objective of the Community Employment scheme is to enhance the employability of long-term unemployed persons and other customers distant from the labour market by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their local communities on a temporary fixed term basis. The provision of training for participants on CE with work experience is one of the valuable functions and strengths of CE supporting participants seeking to return to work.
In addition to providing eligible people with valuable occupational experience and training as a stepping-stone to employment in the open-labour market, schemes such as CE also support important and, in many cases essential, local community services.
In 2024, jointly the OECD/EU/Department of Social Protection published an impact evaluation of Ireland's active labour market policies, 'Connecting People with Jobs, which set out the positive impact of CE and Tús on the employment prospects of participants. The review found a positive impact on the employment and earnings of participants, especially for older participants on CE and younger participants on Tús. The review also found that participants are less likely to rely on disability payments and are more likely to find employment after their participation in the programmes.
At the end of January 2026 there were 19,665 participants and 1,225 supervisors employed through CE across 806 sponsor organisations. The 2026 budget for CE is €415.00 million.
I recognise that employment, activation and income support programmes such as CE and Tús enable participants to make a significant contribution to their communities whilst enabling them to up-skill for prospective future employment. I wish to re-iterate that the eligibility criteria, the duration timelines for participation and the referral process for CE continues to be kept under active review by my Department.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
