Seanad debates
Thursday, 19 June 2003
OECD Economic Survey of Ireland 2003: Statements.
I have to skip over other interesting points. I do not agree with the assumption that community employment schemes should be run down further as quickly as possible. I do not believe there is adequate appreciation of the importance of these schemes – if there is, it is not being acted upon. I can speak only for the less developed parts of rural Ireland where the schemes make a contribution both to the individuals who participate in them and also the community. They are particularly important in the RAPID programme towns. In County Tipperary these include Tipperary town, parts of Clonmel and Carrick-on-Suir. I hope there will be a rethink of this issue in the deliberations about where we go next year and in the Estimates. It is true that unemployment is low overall but there are pockets where this is not the case. The OECD report paints a reasonably positive and encouraging picture of the economy but, at the same time, makes it clear that we have a lot to do.
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