Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Around the country, community employment, CE, workers do valuable work, especially in small towns and villages in rural Ireland. The work they do for Tidy Towns and making Ireland look better is commendable. Prior to 3 July 2017, those over 55 years were entitled to six years on that scheme. It was changed on 3 July so that thereafter a person would get three years, and if he or she took a year out, he or she could apply again. That was accepted. It was updated again in September 2019. On page 30 of the community employment procedures manual, the gospel of the Department which is given to every CE supervisor, it states that participants who started before 3 July 2017 are eligible to remain on the scheme for the six years. That was accepted by all. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the Department has decided not to accept its own rules. We now face situations where people who are eligible under the guidelines, the gospel that is given to the CE scheme supervisors, to stay on schemes for six years must take a year out and reapply. Will the Tánaiste approach the Department or contact the Minister and resolve this issue? The Department cannot have its bible of rules and regulations that everyone adheres to and six months or a year later try to move the goal posts. There are some 19,500 people on the scheme around the country and, unfortunately, about 1,500 to 2,000 vacancies. People adhered to all the regulations as did the supervisors who took them on. If the Department does not change its attitude, I believe it will be wide open to legal challenge. It would be common sense for the Tánaiste to speak to the Minister on this and to tell the Department to adhere to its own guidelines. I ask him to do so.

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