John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Deputy Carey regarding carers and I share his concern. There are 2,500 more carers than had been anticipated. Is that because of demographics? Has there been a change? That affects future planning and so forth. Will the Minister give us an overview of what is going on in that regard?

A number of members referred to community employment. There are 1,200 fewer people on the scheme than anticipated. Concerns about the operation of the scheme and the difficulties associated with the scheme have been expressed by administrators of projects working with those in drug rehabilitation programmes. A number of them are ring-fenced but they are expressing difficulties with the operation of the scheme and the level of checks and balances in light of the cohort they are working with. I do not know whether the Minister can respond on this but it is concerning that 1,200 fewer people a week are on the scheme than had been anticipated.