Additional FÁS Scheme Funding
The Minister said FÁS expected to meet this year’s social employment scheme commitments without extra funds. He said local authority allocations would support existing schemes through next autumn and noted that new schemes and up to 5,000 places had been approved, though local authorities still faced limits on planning additional projects.
asked the Minister for Labour if he is prepared to allocate additional funds to FÁS for social employment schemes in the near future.
Comment on this
FÁS has indicated to me that they will be in a position to meet their commitments under the social employment scheme without any additional allocation of funds this year.
Comment on this
As the Minister is aware, local authorities are the biggest employers where social service schemes are concerned. A number of projects had to be suspended by local authorities in recent months. Now that they are approaching their Estimates time it is important that local authorities would know exactly if the existing schemes can continue and if additional schemes can be planned. Will the Minister give some information on that?
Comment on this
We have given fairly high allocations to local authority schemes. These schemes will now run for 52 weeks up to September-October next year. They know the position between now and next autumn and thereafter it is a matter for the monitoring committee.
Comment on this
Local authorities cannot plan additional schemes. They only have money for existing schemes.
Comment on this
A number of local authorities which did not participate in the scheme because of difficulties about short time working and lay-offs are now back in the scheme. There are a number of new schemes and up to 5,000 places have been approved. This month alone 2,500 places have been approved and a high proportion of these would be for local authorities.