Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It does. We must ensure the people most in need are targeted and programmes are set up to give them the opportunity to be able to get the education and skills they need. I pointed out the success of the last round of the programme.

The Deputy mentioned community employment schemes and we must review them. I would like the committee to invite departmental personnel to speak to this. Within the action plan we meet representatives of Departments on a one-to-one basis. I have spoken with people in the Department about renewing these schemes. The Deputy is correct that people want to stay in these schemes. We need to review that practice. Deputy Collins made the very valid point earlier that it is more difficult now to get people to go on these schemes, so we should leave those who are already on them if they are happy to remain. I will ask my officials about this and I will discuss it on a one-to-one basis with my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Regina Doherty. Like the Deputy, I believe the rural social scheme to be one of the best schemes ever introduced. We are getting tremendous value for money and it does great community service in its work. There is a brilliant benefit to the scheme.

At the last Question Time the Deputy raised the matter of administration of the RAPID scheme. There was a value-for-money policy review of RAPID done in 2011 and the recommendation was made that any follow-up programme should not be implemented in the same way. We had to look at a new way of rolling out the programme. I will announce further funding at the end of the month relating to the programme.