Community Employment

IRD Duhallow’s CE Scheme

IRD Duhallow has run its Community Employment Scheme since 1994. In 2020, our scheme expanded to take in the Kiskeam, Knocknagree, Ballydesmond Scheme. We now have 44 places on CE, with a Supervisor and Assistant Supervisor.

The purpose of CE is to help the long term unemployed re-enter the labour force, by working a maximum of three years on CE, participating in training and upskilling, gaining valuable work experience and undertaking intensive personal development through the Individual Learner Plan tool. The role of our supervisor, is to provide opportunity, support and coach participants in gaining skills and competencies in preparation for employment as well as maintaining effective and efficient administration and coordination of financial and material resources.

Duhallow has always had a very active community ethos, with volunteering across the area always very high. However, the pandemic has seen communities raise the bar. Our towns and villages have been very active and demand for support from CE and other schemes is at an all-time high. We aim to provide the best possible service to communities while ensuring the most valuable work placement experience for participants. IRD Duhallow has where possible, placed participants completing Tús onto CE. This facilitates a more steady long term plan for participants and gives people the time needed to prepare to return to work. This highlights the benefits of embedding employment services in the Local Development Company Structure.

Our Job Centre Development Officer is available to work with participants when they are ready to move forward to employment, with CV preparation and Interview Skills.

Our current scheme covers the communities of Dromtarriffe, Cullen, Rathcoole, Newmarket Kilcorney, Banteer, Lyre, Boherbue, Ballydaly, Knocknagree, Ballydesmond and Kiskeam. The scheme also provides support to a number of Community enterprises including Newmarket Pitch and Putt, Duhallow Community Laundry, Duhallow Revamp and Duhallow Community Food Services. The role CE plays in these communities, cannot be underestimated.

Participant Development through Training

The key difference between CE and other labour market schemes, is that training plays a central role in the Community Employment Scheme. The Department Of Social Protection stipulate that only QQI FETAC, City and Guilds or other Certificate qualifications can be funded. The Supervisor encourages all participants to consider Specific Training so that they can up skill and improve their confidence and Self-esteem on a personal level and improve their chances of gaining employment as this is the main object of the Community Employment Scheme.

This past year, training undertaken and funded by the department include Payroll Techniques, Manual Handling, Finance Accounting / Bookkeeping computer software sage, Nutrition, Professional Driving Modules, Forklift, Advance Excel, interview skills and Adult Education courses.

Martin O’Neill delivers our Free Discover Duhallow magazine to various shops and outlets across the region.

Denis Carroll has responsibility for maintaining the pitch at Dromtariffe GAA

Jason Buckland completed 3 years on CE in February. He was fortunate to avail of Accounting Technician Training while on the scheme and gained valuable work experience in accounts. He has gained full time employment with FDC in Kanturk Joan Sheehan loading washing in the IRD Duhallow Community Laundry where she works part time on her scheme

Paddy O’Connor Supervisor and Roger Flynn CE Participant meet to discuss training opportunities to support progression

Community Employment Participants complete the small engines Course

Community Employment Drug Rehabilitation Scheme

IRD Duhallow has been awarded a second CE scheme. The overall objective will be to provide opportunities for people in recovery from substance misuse to re-engage into their communities and activate them for entry to the labour market. The schemes will assist in bridging the gap between long-term unemployment and the open labour market. It is characterised by offering paid work on a temporary contract, together with training, personal development and job search activities. Through our experience of supporting those in recovery through other programmes and services, we are cognisant that no two people are the same and their interests and skills often differ. Many are unsure of what direction to take and therefore are not ready to make a decision relating to their future career. By offering a CE scheme placement as well as wrap around support services available through IRD Duhallow, it will maximise the likelihood of positive progression for the person in recovery. It will allow the person to move forward at a pace which is appropriate for them thus reducing the risk of relapse which can be significantly detrimental to motivation for a person in recovery. It is envisaged that the CE scheme participants will increase their self-esteem and aspirations, enhance their CV, get ‘job ready ’ or ‘further education ready ’ , have a possible reference for future employment or entry to educational institutes whilst also developing new positive friendships and networks in tandem.

Rural Social Scheme

The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) was introduced in 2004, an innovative and dynamic scheme that was designed to address the decline in agriculture in rural areas, and to support the small family farm to remain viable by providing part-time community-based employment to farmers. Almost eighteen years on, it is needed now more than ever as custodians of the land, farmers work ethic has a hugely positive influence on participants in our other schemes such as Tús and CE.

IRD Duhallow has implemented RSS since it was first introduced. The scheme offers low-income smallholders, their spouse or children, the opportunity to work across a range of community projects part time, which has a twofold benefit. Firstly, it allows off farm income to be generated and secondly, valuable community work is completed. IRD Duhallow runs all its schemes in an integrated fashion, therefore Tús, CE, RSS, CSP participants all run in tandem and in unison. This promotes equality or parity of esteem and also supports each participant to fully realise the benefits of working as part of team, towards one goal.

In June of this year, we welcomed two announcements from the Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys and Minister of State at the DRCD Joe O’Brien which will have a very positive impact, the first was the introduction of major new changes to the Farm Assist Means Test in a move that will benefit thousands of farmers. The Minister has signed regulations that will introduce a new income disregard which will ensure farmers who avail of Agri-Environmental Schemes will not see their social welfare payments impacted. As a result of these changes, an income disregard will now be applied to the department’ s Farm Assist, Jobseeker ’ s Allowance and State (Non-Contributory) Pensions. Introducing an income disregard under these schemes will incentivise more farmers to participate in them, in line with the Government’ s climate change objectives. Grants under these agricultural schemes benefit from the maximum disregard of €2,450, with the remaining balance assessed at 50%.

The second announcement was the removal of the six-year time limit for all participants on the Rural Social Scheme with immediate effect, this rule was introduced in 2017 and means that participants whose contracts were due to finish on or after 1st February 2023, can have their contracts extended to the 31st of March and annually thereafter similar to participants who commenced the scheme prior to 1st February 2017.

IRD Duhallow scheme has 74 places, and we currently have vacancies.

Eligibility to join the RSS

In order to be eligible to join the RSS you, your spouse or family member must be in receipt of a means tested payment such as Farm Assist or Jobseekers Allowance have a Basic Payment Scheme payment and be actively farming more than 1 hectare.

Financial Benefits of being on the scheme

The rates of payment for new participants will depend on your qualifying Department Social Protection payment. The minimum weekly payment increased to €230.50 in January 2022.

If the actual social welfare payment (including dependents) you were getting is €203 a week or less, then you will get the minimum RSS weekly rate of €230.50 (that is €208 plus €22.50). If your actual weekly social welfare payment (including dependents) was €208.01 or more, then you will get the equivalent rate plus €22.50.

Minister Norma Foley visited IRD Duhallow in July 2021 and RSS Supervisor Marie Fleming took the opportunity to inform the Minister of the wide variety of work that is completed in the Duhallow region through the schemes and in particular how during COVID-19 they all stepped up to ensure the continuity of all services in particular the Meals on Wheels, maintenance of walks and the laundry service.

Health and Safety is essential to all of our work. Participants Margaret Murphy, Supervisor Colm O’Connor, John O’Flynn and Mary O’Connell completed Decision Driving Training, a requirement for those driving for the company.

The benefits of participating on IRD Duhallow’s Rural Social Scheme

By joining IRD Duhallow ’ s RSS you will be entitled to a Class A stamp of which the benefits include access to a Contributory State Pension and you ’ll be receiving an increased weekly income.

On the scheme you will work for 19.5 hours per week and receive the same statutory (pro rata) annual leave (10.5 days = 4 weeks) and public holiday entitlement as other employees. We have a variety of work placements available of which such as; Caretaking at community and sporting facilities, Energy conservation work for the elderly and the less well-off, Village and countryside enhancement projects, Looking after waymarked ways, agreed walks and bog roads across Ireland, Social care and care of the elderly such as meals on wheels.

Community care for pre-school and after-school groups, Environmental maintenance work such as Tidy Towns projects, Helping non-profit cultural and heritage centres and opportunities for you to learn new skills by accessing our in-house training.

There will be opportunities to assist with projects in your local community and you will become a valuable member of the team, which has great camaraderie.

Ukrainian Response

Supervisors and participants like the rest of the team in IRD Duhallow stepped up when assistance was required with Ukrainian refugees arriving to the Duhallow region. Our participants assisted with erecting a marquee to become the hub for donations due to the generosity of people and the extent of the donations we received. We then assisted with the sorting of clothes by gender, age, size etc. It is very heartening to see people wanting to help in any way they can.

Anthony Healy spends his RSS time working in Macroom Golf Course where the greens are kept in superb condition.