Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Government is committed to supporting community employment, including Tús and other employment support programmes. When in government in the past, my party was instrumental in introducing all those schemes. Last year, we spent €341 million on community employment. Some €84 million was spent on Tús schemes. There are approximately 200 Tús schemes nationwide and 871 community employment schemes with 23,000 participants across both schemes, so they are significant. As part of the July stimulus, we provided funding for an additional 3,000 employment support scheme placements. I will raise the issues that the Deputy has raised with the Minister. I assure the Deputy that we remain committed to these schemes. We believe they have a significant role to play in community development.

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