Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Sinn Féin motion. Much has been made of progression rates in community employment schemes, but they have developed into much more than progression rates and labour activation. While they are an important part of the schemes, the Minister's cuts will affect the labour activation measures and the social aspect of the community employment schemes.

My town of Killybegs in County Donegal is trying to develop tourism because of the decline in the fishing industry. The cuts in training grants and supports to community employment will impact on that. The local tourist office, where over 10,000 visitors sought information last year, is kept going by community employment. This is information that is not available anywhere else. There will be opportunities for participants to move on to tourism related jobs if the scheme is allowed to grow and develop. These cuts will place the scheme under threat.

The scheme in Killybegs also supports youth projects, child care and residents' associations. These are all vital social services that are not available anywhere else. The CE scheme is the only way communities can provide for them.

In Donegal, we also have the MS Ireland scheme, which provides an exercise programme for MS sufferers across the county. The cuts are forcing exercise assistants to fund their own travel. In a county like Donegal where they may have to travel 40 or 50 miles to assist someone who suffers from MS, the assistants will have to pay their travel expenses out of their own pockets if they are to keep the scheme going. That is a shame on the Government and on the Minister.

The Minister says she will not close any scheme, but the Minister for Education and Skills said he would not close any small schools. He will simply make them so unviable they will voluntarily have to give up. That is the problem with these cuts. I urge the Minister to repeal her decision and ensure the cuts do not happen.

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