Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Níl aon fhadhb agam aontú leis an Aire go bhfuil obair na gcapall á dhéanamh ag muintir na tíre ar an talamh. Gan an obair dheonach atá á dhéanamh ag daoine, ní bheadh aon rud againn.

I totally agree with the Minister that without community work, we would lose out. Volunteers are doing work that the Government and local authorities should be doing. I have absolutely no problem with that. However, the question is very specific. The Minister has had plenty of time. I welcome the news that it will be published soon. I would like to hear a date. We do not need the Minister to repeat how valuable social enterprise or community work is. This country would be much poorer, in every sense of the word, without either sector. We know that. I represent a community that extends from the Aran Islands to Kilmaine and Shrule. There is huge variation in that community. I am fully aware of what is happening on the ground, but without a coherent national policy we are going nowhere and dealing with it in bits and pieces. There has been ample time between 2017 and 2019. I appreciate that a steering group was set up and that consultation took place in the towns to which the Minister referred, including Athlone. However, it is time to publish the document. Any document can be reviewed. It can be rolled out for a year or two. It can be reviewed and appropriate changes can be made. I ask the Minister to let us have the policy.

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