Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)

Tá an Private Members' business seo an-tábhachtach ar fad agus ba mhaith liom mo thacaíocht a thabhairt dó agus, tá súil orm, aon duine eile atá ag féachaint amach le haghaidh an ghnáth dhuine. Any Government worth its salt would ask its opponents and the people to judge it on its actions, on what it has provided and what it has not only sought to do but also has achieved. Were the present Administration to ask to be judged in this manner, it would be judged harshly. One is told regularly by Government Deputies to be more positive and more constructive but the Government does not seek constructive Opposition. The proof of this is in its complete rejection of the alternative budgetary measures offered by Sinn Féin last December and costed by the Department of Finance. One is told, without even the slightest hint of irony, to put on the green jersey by a Taoiseach who parades and embraces his masters in Europe. The Taoiseach has admitted the Government has never attempted even to negotiate our sovereign debt, even though our Greek colleagues are doing precisely this and are standing still on it.

Do Fine Gael or the Labour Party think it patriotic to cut from those who have the least to give, from those who struggle or for those for whom the Celtic tiger was something about which they only heard? Do they think that people who provide essential work in communities are expendable? Do they think organisations such as local GAA clubs in my constituency like Setanta and Erin's Isle, Finglas Meals on Wheels, Citizen's Information, Glór na nGael child care and many others are the enemies of this country? Do they consider them to be leeches on the society they helped to hold together while others supped from the trough but never paid their share and, at their worst, plummeted this country into the desperate position in which it now finds itself?

In Dublin North-West, approximately 500 people work in community employment schemes. They provide hot meals for the elderly and infirm and help to organise community groups and sports clubs. These people are doing jobs for which the Government and this State fail to provide. They provide these services, which should be full-time posts, to support people and communities who need help, support and care. These are good, hard-working people who come from a wide range of backgrounds and who are trying to return to work. This is not what the Minister has previously characterised as being a "lifestyle choice": it is the reality for people who live in the real world. Those to whom I refer have done their best to overcome many varied obstacles and are now faced with an Ireland in which they cannot obtain employment as a result of the failings of others who go untouched and some of whom continue to be rewarded and will never set foot in a jail not to mention a police station.

One would struggle to find a person who does not know someone benefiting from a service provided with the help of CE workers. Like the carers who have been greatly mistreated, those on CE schemes are saving the State money through their dedication and hard work. The State is only willing to provide them with such work in the form of CE schemes. The State has given away billions of euros to unsecured bondholders and huge amounts in bonuses and pay upgrades for its cronies. In doing so, it has broken its promises in respect of pay but it refuses to support a massively cost-effective programme such as that relating to community employment. The CE schemes have done fantastic work and the State has paid so little for this, particularly in the context of the benefits that have been forthcoming.

If those on the Government benches were serious about the interests of the people they would support the motion and retain the services upon which communities depend and which are provided to the State - at such good value - by the good people to whom I refer. I issue a warning to the Deputies of Fine Gael and Labour. The people are watching and listening. Their words will mean nothing if they are not followed up by more than crocodile tears. The people will give their verdict. Those in Fine Gael and Labour under-estimate and disregard the people at their peril. Ba cheart dóibh an deis seo a ghlacadh agus tacaíocht a thabhairt don rún seo.

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