Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome that review and it is particularly important, as the Minister of State said, given the six-year rule. I know he has engaged with a number of schemes across the State and many of the supervisors and those involved would have told him what they told me. They are very concerned about the impact of the six-year rule. Some of those I met will lose 15, 16, 17 people next year. They have no idea how they will replace them because they are already struggling to fill places as it is. I do not see why we need to enforce a limitation, such as the six-year rule, on schemes where they cannot find people. It would be different if there were massive demand and people were trying to get on the scheme and could not access it but, unfortunately, that is not the case in many parts of the State and we need to have flexibility in that regard. The six-year rule needs to be examined and that is why the review is so important. Will the Minister of State give an indication of the time of year it will take place because obviously it is important it happens well ahead of next year so we can look at the impact of the six-year rule?

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