James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge that there has been employment growth but the south east, particularly Wexford, still lags behind the rest of the country. High rates of unemployment continue to be a feature in parts of County Wexford.

In the context of activation programmes and trying to get individuals back into the workforce, I am concerned that some of the activity in this regard is not being pursued in an intelligent manner. I am aware of many people both under the age of 25 and over the age of 55 who suffer from obvious mental health problems. They have difficulties remaining in mainstream employment but they are being taken off community employment, CE, schemes in circumstances where, for example, they are contributing to local society. I refer to meals on wheels schemes, village renewal schemes and work in community centres. Those people are being forced into training and start-your-own-business schemes for which they are plainly not suitable when it would be good for their mental health and for the community if they were allowed to remain on the schemes to which I refer. The concerns of individuals who are experiencing difficulties should be addressed.

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