Ms Martina Earley:

The privatisation of the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, is very bad use of taxpayers' money. We deliver SICAP in County Roscommon. We are asked to take on new services and new tasks as we go along, and we are happy to do this, but would a private company do so? It is a bad return on investment for the taxpayer. The composition of the board and staff is voluntary, and they are people who love doing what they do. They give a lot of time and effort. Putting it into private hands will kill the very heart of rural Ireland.