Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy refers to particular schemes that are involved with the Department of Justice and Equality and the Department of Health. After I became Minister, I provided for 1,000 ring-fenced places in schemes which cater for and assist people who are in rehabilitation from drugs. These places continue to exist. Over recent years as demand for such services has spread out more widely throughout the country, we have initiated further schemes or parts of schemes in places such as Waterford and Wexford to help people there who have issues.

People who go into rehabilitation need to be able to progress themselves by getting back into education or employment or by getting the kind of experience that is provided through the community employment scheme. We have maintained all of that intact. As a result of the discussions that have taken place with the relevant groups, some of which have not involved the Department of Social Protection, a broad framework agreement on the next steps has almost been completed. I am aware that the Departments of Health and Justice and Equality and, in particular, the Minister of State, Deputy Ó Ríordáin, are strongly committed to this. I anticipate that we will be able to announce that agreement in the not too distant future. We have continued to fund community employment in this way. I assure the Deputy that we will continue to do so because it is an important pathway to sustained recovery for many people who have experienced drugs and addiction issues.

I would like to respond to the Deputy's earlier point about how people are selected for community employment courses. I suggest that if she has some specific examples, I will take them back to the Department. We have opened community employment up to younger people and we are also opening it up to older people. As people get back to work in Ireland and as this country starts to work back to full employment, two groups of people may continue to have the difficulties they have at present. In the first case, which relates to younger people under the age of 25, we are building up apprenticeships and First Steps programmes to help them to identify career plans. In the second case, which relates to older people who may have lost their jobs or taken early retirement deals, we are conscious that such people would be delighted to be involved in and contribute to their local communities through community employment. We should avail of the experience, wisdom and community caring that older people so often provide in a community employment context.

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