134 Mr. McGahon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her plans for the further proposed mainstreaming of community employment schemes in the areas of health and environment which will further reduce the numbers employed on the programme nationally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28629/01]

In line with a commitment in the PPF, and following consultations with relevant Government Departments and the social partners, certain services currently provided by participants on community employment, CE, are being mainstreamed. Mainstreaming involves the transfer of CE funding for specific services to other Departments with functional responsibility for these services. This process has already commenced in the case of CE services in schools.