Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

In the words of the Government's White Paper, the community and voluntary sector "contributes to a democratic pluralist society, provides opportunities for the development of decentralised and participative structures and fosters a climate in which the quality of life can be enhanced for all". It is clear that it plays an important role. The sector operates from the ground up and is strongly represented in areas where unemployment is high and State services and infrastructure are low. This is the case in areas of Tallaght, which is the Acting Chairman's area, and in many areas in my constituency of Dublin Central.

It is estimated that the sector employs approximately 50,000 people and delivers a wide range of vital programmes, including child care, care of the elderly, disability services, health care, social inclusion, homelessness services, skills training, family supports, drug rehabilitation, homework clubs and sporting activities. Without a vibrant voluntary and community sector, the bonding in society would erode very rapidly and we would end up with conflict and chaos. It is what keeps society together not only in the good times, but particularly in the bad times when there are pressures and people find it difficult to makes ends meet.

Over the past two years, the voluntary and community sector has suffered disproportionately from Government cuts. In 2009, funds for those essential services decreased by 8%. In 2010, the decrease was even worse at 10%. Already, local projects have suffered from redundancies, pay cuts and reduced services. It is estimated that by the end of 2010 there will be more than 5,000 job losses in the sector. With savage cuts in the two most recent budgets and four more years of austerity budgets to come to try to reach the 3% deficit target, the immediate future is very black indeed.

This week, we debated the Labour Party Private Members' motion on fuel poverty and spoke about how the ESB disconnects 2,500 homes every month and how Bord Gáis has disconnected approximately 4,000 homes this year because people cannot afford to pay their energy bills. We also spoke about that fact that while we introduced a carbon tax, we did not provide a corollary fuel poverty strategy whereby the money raised by the State would, to a large extent, be re-injected into the community where it is badly needed.

No wonder the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice today indicated in its new study that a high proportion of Irish families cannot afford the basics required for a minimum standard of living. That is a terrible reflection on us as a country and the manner in which we conduct our business because Ireland is far from a poor country. It is not good enough that we are unable to prevent a sizeable percentage of the people from falling into poverty, homelessness and a situation of hopelessness.

There is a need, more than anything else, to look at why all of these people who are falling through the net, and at the experience of abject poverty and what that entails in feeding a family, keeping a roof, keeping heat, looking after the elder, fuel poverty, education and all of the aspects that bond society. More than anything else, the Government, and the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs which is largely responsible for the funding of this sector, should endeavour that this time round there would not be further cuts but that at least we would maintain the current levels of service and funding.

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