Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Mayfield Community Enterprise Limited, which was established in 2001, was responsible for co-ordinating and administering community employment schemes within the Mayfield area. The Minister of State may be familiar with the local community through his party colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch. This is an area of high unemployment, in which there has been much social deprivation in the past. Thankfully, in the past 12 years, through the CE schemes, the workers and the various host groups, much work has been done to transform the community. A lot of good work continues to be done right up to today.

It came as a bit of a shock yesterday, therefore, when the host groups were called to a meeting to be informed that the impending retirement of the supervisor for the Mayfield area is due to take place in September. At the meeting people were told that a recommendation is going to the manager and the principal officer of FÁS that the position not be filled. In effect, this means that Mayfield Community Enterprise Limited will cease to exist, and the supervision, administration and the operation of the CE workers in the community will be transferred to other areas. Two are going to Military Hill, ten to Blackpool and nine to the North Mall CE umbrella group of CE schemes. This is obviously of concern to the local host groups and the communities. One of the advantages of having a supervisor within the Mayfield community is that such a person has built up a great knowledge of the local community and has a good relationship with the host groups. There is a fear that if the supervisor is taken out and not replaced, with the enterprise to be co-ordinated and administered by CE groups outside the Mayfield community area, there will be a detrimental impact on the provision of CE schemes.

Just in case anybody is worried, I stress that there is no indication or talk of a reduction in the number of CE scheme workers. I want to make that clear because I do not want people who hear this debate to be fearful that there will be a reduction in numbers. That is not what is being proposed, but what is proposed is that the vacancy for supervisor not be filled. There is a general concern that something that has worked so well for 12 years is now being stripped back.

There is general concern that something which worked well for 12 years is now being stripped back and people do not understand the rationale behind the change. The only conclusion they can reach is that it is a cost cutting exercise and this is a cause for genuine fear in the local community. I ask the Minister for Social Protection to rethink this recommendation before it is put to FÁS manager and to seriously consider filling the supervisory position when it becomes vacant in September.

See this speech in context