Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. I think we all acknowledge the skill and the resilience of those working in the sector. Indeed, it is their resilience that got them through and kept them in their jobs when austerity was tearing the very heart out of the sector. Many of our communities are grateful they stayed the course. However, as I said, it is becoming more and more difficult for community organisations to recruit and retrain staff into these. What we need is an extension of the community development programme. We need more money going into these community groups so that community workers can be out on the ground doing the jobs they need to. The model is that Government does not set pay and conditions. However, the Government has to be very conscious of those pay and conditions and the impact lower pay and conditions has on the sector and its ability to do work that benefits society and the State in the long run. That means Government has to step up now and fund and support improvements in terms, pay and conditions for workers in the sector.

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