Mr. Larry O'Neill:

We also need to see the benefits in the wider community. Community employment, job initiative and Tús schemes are sustaining community centres throughout the country. In most community projects the people at reception or those undertaking light maintenance tasks, for example, are participating in schemes learning their trade. In Tús one of the biggest benefits has been gained under the care and repair schemes which offer older people, in particular, but also people with disabilities and anybody who is disadvantaged the opportunity to engage in light maintenance tasks in their houses. There was a case in Saggart, in our area, in which a woman was cooking breakfast for three men every Friday morning who came to maintain the lawns. It was not about maintaining the lawns but about the company. It was in an area which, unusually for an area adjacent to a city, was isolated. We also support community health projects. There is a huge input from the Tús and community employment schemes, in particular, in supporting such projects. If that infrastructure was to shrink, it would have a huge impact, particularly on disadvantaged communities. It is an important factor in looking at the overall picture.