John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The issue of funding for community employment schemes is one I have raised at every possible forum. It is an issue that unites all sides of the House. We all want to see CE schemes supported and sustained. The House has debated previously the issue of isolation in rural areas.

Community employment schemes in towns and villages are crucial, both in the urban and rural context, to the delivery of services within the community. When the budget announcement of the cut to the materials and training grant from €1,500 to €500 was made, it sent shockwaves through sponsors, participants and communities. It is welcome that the Minister has cleared up some of the confusion in the past week to ten days and that there has been more of a meeting of minds on how the review is to be conducted and how the budgetary changes are to be implemented in the coming weeks and months. I appeal to the Minister to ensure the vital criteria by which community employment schemes have to demonstrate their need for extra funding above €500 will not be overly strict and tight such that it will become impossible to demonstrate the need for a scheme.

Everyone concurs with the Minister's intention that waste must be eliminated and that value for money must be achieved. Some schemes may be better able to absorb administration costs and materials and training costs than others. Community employment schemes are the heartbeat of towns and villages throughout the country. They help to provide and make possible such services as child care, meals-on-wheels and centres for independent living and village enhancement.

It is sometimes pointed out that people working on community employment schemes do not find follow-on jobs. My experience is that people secure sustainable jobs or move into self-employment. Young people participating n such schemes upskill, train and open doors for themselves. I accept, however, that they do not lead to sustainable jobs for all. People involved in such schemes in the later years of their working lives want to work and have a sense of purpose. They receive €20 more than they would in jobseeker's allowance. Surely that kills the myth that that in receipt of unemployment benefit do not want to work.

Community employment schemes have been a vital vehicle for the delivery of some of the services I have outlined. I note that the review is also seeking savings in the administration costs of schemes such as overheads, insurance and audits, which I welcome. However, there is a danger that communities might divide, given that some schemes which are more sustainable or could fund-raise might be rewarded, while others are punished.

Last week we discussed the difficulties in small schools during Private Members' business. I received a letter today from the principal of a small school to say how important the local community employment scheme was, as a shed had been built for the school, a new playground had been designed and a new bicycle rack provided. When there are cutbacks in other areas community employment schemes can sometimes come to the rescue. I welcome the reviews. If there were no community employment schemes, we would propose to the Minister that they be invented. Let us not get rid of something that is working well.

See this speech in context