Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

I will admit to that because I had my reasons. The Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, has been clearly defeated on this issue. Prior to Christmas, he made valid pronouncements as to his intentions for the schemes. He got the support of 40 Fianna Fáil backbenchers, yet at the last moment, was beaten into submission. He has now obviously thrown in the towel on retaining the community employment schemes.

There are cuts throughout the country. The Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, admitted there were problems in County Galway. The problems manifest themselves through the loss of 1,500 places in community employment schemes. He referred to the situation in Mountbellew. However, I wish to outline the personal profiles of nine people from Mountbellew who have been out of work because of the suspension of the community employment scheme. Michael, in his early 60s, a widower, living alone who was on his first scheme, is 12 months out of the scheme. Mary, a widow in her late 50s living alone, on her first scheme, is 12 months out of the scheme. Oliver, in his late 30s, single, living alone with special needs, is 12 months out of the scheme. Michael, late 30s and living alone, is out of the scheme for 12 months. Gerry, single with medical conditions and unable to obtain full-time work, is out of the scheme for 12 months. Martina, single, living in community housing and receiving mental health support is 12 months out of the scheme.

There are others in this situation to whom the Minister of State referred. This is what he is leaving behind when he says there are no cuts. In my county, 1,500 people are affected. In the specific case to which he referred, the record stands at 12 months out of work. Throughout the day I tried to contact every Department in some way connected with the proposal by the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cuív, for 2,500 additional places in the rural social schemes. When the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, made the announcement in that regard he said it was at the back of his mind since 2002, but from what I gather today it is still at the back of his mind. There is no trace of information in any Department about how a potential applicant can make an application in this regard or to which Department he or she can do so. There is no evidence that such a scheme is up and running or otherwise. I was horrified to hear the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, say, whether in error or otherwise, that people would be transferred from the current social employment schemes to this new scheme, maintaining there would be no cuts. We were told there would be 2,500 additional places on the new schemes for people essentially engaged in farming. An applicant must have a herd number. However, the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, has said he will transfer some participants on community employment schemes to this new scheme — the record will show that. There is confusion in that regard. Tension has existed in the background between the senior Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, and the junior Minister, Deputy Fahey, since 2002, which manifested itself in the run-up to the budget at the end of last year and now there is confusion because even though they share a constituency one of them does not know what the other is doing. That is evident from the Minister's reference today to such a scheme being in the back of his mind. It must still be an idea in the back of his mind because there is no evidence of such a scheme being in place. If there is, I will gladly accept the point and be pleased to hear where we can direct people, in need of a new position, to apply for it.

One county has suffered 1,500 job losses under such schemes in the past 12 months and I want to know what is going on. There is obviously a game going on. I reject much of what Senator Ross said. He does not have an understanding of the benefit to participants of CE schemes and of what FÁS has done for the many people who have participated in its schemes, received valuable training and secured gainful employment. That is all many people want.

FÁS schemes are affected most in areas where people have the least opportunity of securing alternative employment. People with the profile I outlined, whether they come from Galway, Donegal or Kerry, would have little chance of securing employment. The Government ring-fenced funding for the schemes and will not make further funding available, therefore, no additional places can be provided.

We were guaranteed by the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey — if he was present I would challenge him on this — that places and funding for schemes in RAPID areas would be ring-fenced. If participants on schemes raise their position with a particular Minister, principally the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, they are advised that the Minister may consider it. The promise given regarding ring-fencing has been broken. There is no continuation of places on such schemes in RAPID areas, which is a devastating blow to many people not necessarily only in terms of social employment but in terms of schemes which provided valuable support to people with special needs. Those people are the worst hit. Why has the Government, which can afford to spend a great deal of money in other areas which are not necessarily a priority relative to these schemes, decided it will not allocate any further funding to these schemes and that the ring-fencing promised cannot be guaranteed? It is a crime and a shame and that is why the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, ran from the reality of what faced him in this regard. He has thrown in the towel. He may have pastures green in sight for the future and, if he has, he must accept he has failed in terms of his involvement in community employment schemes. Perhaps it would be good if the electorate sent him elsewhere in the near future.