Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

I hope to address the House on it.

On the insulation scheme, those of us who were local representatives will know there was no grant aid for insulation. This is why it now comprises a specific energy measure and why it is outside the remit of all other schemes.

With regard to the back to work enterprise allowance and the back to education scheme, the late Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Seamus Brennan — God rest him — introduced a change to the back to education scheme whereby those who were made redundant could enter the system automatically. That has been progressive and one will see a considerable number of new entrants to education. The Minister for Social and Family Affairs stated in the Chamber last night that she is evaluating the schemes on the basis referred to by the Deputy, namely, activation measures in respect of which there has been keen interest by people who have been made redundant.

We are in the middle of a budgetary framework and are dealing with our public finances. We must therefore evaluate how we can do this in the best way.

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