Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Some of them are only getting €20 more a week for working in their local community. I know that myself. In Goleen we have CE workers in community and voluntary organisations, and with the Goleen and District Community Council. We have rural social workers, Tús workers and HSE employees in section 39 organisations, who are providing meals on wheels. These workers are carrying out invaluable work. I give great praise to the supervisors of CE schemes, the rural social scheme and the Tús scheme. I also praise the workers themselves who look after graveyards, meals on wheels, Tidy Towns and community pitches - be it a GAA pitch or a soccer pitch. Whatever task they are given, they beautify their area, in particular the Tidy Towns workers in places like Goleen, Schull, Ballydehob, Skibbereen, Clonakilty, Kinsale, Bantry, Dunmanway, Beara, and Sheep's Head, to mention just a few. These people have done Trojan work, and both the supervisors and workers have been forgotten in the budget. The budget can surely squeeze money out for these supervisors in a way that shows them some bit of respect, and the same for the workers going forward. I appeal to the Minister to work on that so that we do not have to table another motion on the issue in six months' time, more or less saying the same thing. It is not fair. These people have not been treated with the respect they deserve. Without them, we would have very poor communities.

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