There will be no reduction in Community Employment places this year, the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, has said. Any reductions in the future will be "synchronised" with the creation of jobs in the social economy, she told the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed.
She met an INOU delegation for over an hour yesterday to discuss proposed changes in CE schemes. The organisation had expressed concern that a decision by the Cabinet last July to reduce placements could lead to many CE participants being forced out of the labour market, or forced to take low-paid jobs.
Ms Harney also told the INOU that there would be no further reductions in CE places or funding without full consultation and the creation of other labour market opportunities.
The INOU also expressed concerns about lack of consultation with the social partners and about the danger that 5,000 new jobs in the "social economy" would not come on stream before the cuts were made.
Leaving yesterday's meeting the union's general secretary, Mr Mike Allen, described Ms Harney's assurances as "an important step forward. We have succeeded in putting the needs of the unemployed back into the framework of Partnership 2000."
The Tanaiste's commitment to maintain CE placements at 37,500 for this year would help allay fears amongst participants and supervisors, he said.