Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy acknowledged that the unemployment rate has reduced to 6%. She spoke about County Cavan and mentioned that she has received a number of calls in recent days in this regard and this is an issue I will bring back to the Minister. She raised other points regarding infrastructure, transport and roads in rural areas and this is something about which I can speak to the Minister, Deputy Ross. I accept the importance of community employment schemes for the 37,000 people on them because it gives them a sense of purpose and I totally agree with the Deputy on this.

Even this morning, the Ministers, Deputies Leo Varadkar and Simon Harris, and I were dealing with the issue - it is not directly related but is in the same territory - of 250,000 people with disabilities receiving a social welfare, illness or disability benefit, weekly payment. We have accepted and are looking at the idea of employment for them. We have come across and examined very closely the barriers stopping them from getting involved in more meaningful employment. There is the threat of the loss of a medical card on lower earnings. Where the system does not support early intervention, the issue of overall income support for people with disabilities is very complex and people with disabilities are reluctant to lose the security provided by the social protection system. That fits in with what we are doing.

Deputy Bríd Smyth mentioned access to schemes and the need to manoeuvre. That is a very valuable point. I accept the Deputy's point that one size does not fit all when looking at schemes. I mentioned those in my area responsibility - the disabiliy sector. We have to have flexibility and be able to manoeuvre. If there are people with particular skills in certain areas, whether it be child care, the disability sector or in dealing with mental health issues, we should be looking seriously at particular projects. I will bring all of the issues raised by the Deputy back to the Minister, Deputy Leo Varadkar.

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