164 Mr. McGahon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she considers community employment to be important in the context of dealing with long-term unemployment; and if the community employment schemes have a role in future policy development. [23249/01]

The primary purpose of the community employment, CE, programme is to reintegrate long-term unemployed persons into employment in the open labour market. Through CE, participants are provided with valuable opportunities for development and training.

Following a restructuring of the programme approved by the Government in 1999, participation levels are gradually being reduced to 28,000 by the end of 2003, as part of a phased reduction reflecting the falling numbers of the long-term unemployed. The mainstreaming of schools services is currently under way and the proposed mainstreaming of other essential services including the health and environmental sectors will further reduce the numbers employed on the programme.

A small number of individuals continue to experience difficulties in getting jobs following their participation on CE due to barriers such as age, health, literacy, numeracy or a lack of suitable jobs locally. In recognition of this, I have also recently introduced greater flexibility with regard to such participants, particularly in the case of older workers. FÁS, now has discretion to offer a further period on the programme on a case by case basis for these participants. FÁS is currently increasing the training and development inputs on the CE programme to provide a more focused response to the needs of disadvantaged persons.