Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I commend my colleagues on bringing forward this motion and I only wish I had more time to speak on this very important issue. The community employment schemes were introduced in this country at a time when unemployment levels were very high, particularly in rural Ireland. By all accounts, the initiative has been very successful and has served its participants very well in securing employment when jobs were scarce and in helping the long-term unemployed to find a pathway back to work. We cannot underestimate the effect secure employment can have on a person, from both a financial and mental health point of view. I have spoken to people who were long-term unemployed for years and could see no light at the end of the tunnel, and it was the CE scheme that got them going again, giving them a jump start and leading them back to full-time and long-term employment.

CE schemes would never have succeeded without the work of the supervisors and assistant supervisors. They have a strong personal vocation for the work they do and they are passionate about helping the people of their communities. Our motion calls for a satisfactory pathway to be found, based on the 2008 Labour Court recommendations, to address the pension issue for the 1,250 CE supervisors and assistant supervisors.

Last week my colleagues, Deputies Butler and Calleary, organised a briefing in Leinster House on this issue. It was clear at that meeting that there was strong cross-party support to find a solution to this unfair anomaly. These supervisors are honest, hard-working people and they need the Government to do the right thing and set out a pathway to provide them with the pensions they are owed.

The Government cannot sit on its hands any longer. With all due respect to him, the Minister of State is here tonight. However, the two senior Ministers are not here, showing disrespect to the motion proposed by Fianna Fáil tonight. At least one of the Ministers responsible for this decision should be here tonight to listen. People from all over the country are in the Gallery who expected at least one Minister to have the respect to come here and listen to what we have to say.

The Government cannot hide behind red tape any more. A recommendation of the Labour Court was made. We cannot say these people are not employees of the State. They need a way out. They need a pension. They have done their service all over the country, particularly in rural Ireland. It is time for the Government to wake up and look after them and give them the pensions that they deserve.

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