Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her comprehensive reply. She knows the value of the community employment schemes. She visited County Clare a few weeks ago and I am sure she was in a number of towns and villages to see the wonderful work of these community workers. My concern relates to the over-55 age group. These are people who have given a lifetime of work to their community and they are now unemployed. They do great work in the CE schemes: they often do the work that was formerly carried out by local authority workers. Their opportunities for work are very limited when they leave the CE schemes. It is difficult to find a job when one is 55 years of age, particularly in rural areas. I appreciate their work, as do most Members. I am pleased the Minister is liaising with the schemes to ensure their viability. If these schemes were discontinued it would create a significant void in rural Ireland. Without the participation of the sponsors, rural Ireland would be a very different place. I urge the Minister to continue to improve the schemes and to make it easier for people over 55 years of age to continue their work in these excellent schemes.

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