Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me, in partnership with my colleague, Deputy Crowe, to raise this issue. As two Tallaght-based Deputies, we are deeply concerned about the situation whereby 28 employees of the Tallaght community development initiative, on the job initiative scheme, have been given notice that their contracts of employment will be terminated on 1 July next.

After the excitement of the day one would expect some of us to be calm, and I will be as calm as I can, but at the same time, I must admit to the Minister of State, Deputy Killeen, whom I welcome, that I am particularly agitated about this issue. It is a blow for Tallaght and although I do not want to exaggerate the issue, it has been brewing for some time. The 28 job initiative scheme workers employed by Tallaght community development initiative are involved in a number of important projects in the Tallaght area, dealing with disadvantage and other issues. A number of them are in the RAPID area.

To give the Minister of State a flavour of these projects, they include the Tallaght Travellers' homework project, the Swan family centre based in Alderwood in Springfield, St. Kevin's resource centre in Kilnamanagh, Firhouse parish centre, the citizens' information centre, which launched a new booklet in Tallaght yesterday, the Kilinarden community centre, St. Mailruan's intercultural drop-in centre in the village, the community forum and Brittas national school.

One can see these projects are very dependent on the job initiative scheme. They have been successful, adding to services in Tallaght and providing tremendous facilities. The workers were completely shocked when out of the blue on Monday last they got notice that their employment was to be terminated. This must be taken in the context that both I and Deputy Crowe have been told that other sponsors are available and have confirmed to FÁS that they can take on the workers.

There are other projects that will facilitate these workers.

This is a case of FÁS bureaucracy running amok. I depend on the Minister of State to sort out this matter for us. I appeal to him to get involved. I acknowledge the interest the Minister of State has shown since we brought the matter to his attention yesterday. I acknowledge also the interest of the Minister and the Department officials who have been in touch with us. Somebody has to sort out the FÁS management and bureaucracy. It should be made clear to the management that Tallaght is not prepared to stand idly by and let 28 important JI jobs be lost. The projects would suffer hugely and the infrastructure in Tallaght would be at a loss. Ministerial intervention is vital in this case. I do not want to tell the Minister of State what to do but FÁS management should be summoned tomorrow morning and the Department should make it clear that this can be sorted out. I do not want to be here next week lamenting the loss of these jobs and trying to raise the matter in another way. The solution is obvious. It is clear from the information made available to us that other projects are in place that can cater for this situation.

I ask the Minister of State to pay special attention to this matter and intervene. These are important projects. A number of them are in RAPID areas, which I understood would be guaranteed. I am making a special appeal to the Minister of State and I hope he will accept the points I have made to him and save these 28 JI jobs in Tallaght.

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