Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)

I wish to add my weight to the debate. I endorse the motion and record my support for community employment schemes in general. I accept that some schemes have shortcomings and may be of questionable value. At one time so many schemes were in existence that some of them may have been of dubious merit.

From my experience of community employment schemes in County Donegal, their contribution to their communities has been significant and substantial. I do not refer simply to keeping graveyards, siocs and grass verges clean, I speak of the empowerment process whereby people, who might not otherwise have been able to access it, received training on these schemes. Single mothers and men out of work for ten or 15 years have benefited from the schemes. They provided an opportunity for people who did not have the confidence to go back to full-time education and for those who left school early.

Senator Ross was highly critical of the bureaucratic structures of FÁS. I commend FÁS for its foresight in regard to community employment schemes. It was the first organisation to address the issue of lifelong learning. It was also the first to accept that people fall through the loop and leave school early. The schemes provided such people with confidence and the money to get driving lessons, do a course in assertiveness, knitting or craftwork. It also succeeded in getting them out of the house. This is an aspect of the schemes we need to address.

Supervisors of community employment schemes have been trodden on. I am sure the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, will agree with me from his contact with supervisors in his constituency. These supervisors have never been made permanent; they worked on year to year contracts. I know supervisors who have been in charge of schemes for up to ten years. Without permanency, such people had no opportunity to progress their career path. They have had little recognition for their work. Even though FÁS provided the mechanism for the courses, it was the supervisors who gave direction to the schemes.

Many seasonal tourism projects require FÁS participants for four to five months in the summer time. It will never be economically viable for the Flight of the Earls heritage centre in Rathmullan to employ someone for 12 months of the year. This is a seasonal project and it is necessary that the work carried out heretofore by FÁS employees continues. If the centre is to be viable, staff are needed to welcome visitors, provide entertainment, conduct interpretative tours and so on.

The Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, referred to the rural social schemes announced by the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cuív, under the recent budget. This will be a good scheme for farmers who are being driven off the land, those who will find themselves sitting idly at home. However, only 2,500 places are being provided and, as Senator John Phelan indicated, there are probably 2,500 farmers in Kilkenny alone who could avail of that scheme, not to mention the other counties. In practical terms, is it feasible for a farmer in the Rathmullan area in Donegal to provide interpretative tours in the Flight of the Earls centre? Perhaps, in time, they will have the confidence to do this.

I listened to the earlier stages of the debate on the monitor. At one stage it was like watching the "The Oprah Winfrey Show" with the shouting of abuse and hurling of criticism in an emotive manner. This is not necessary in the House and does not add any weight to its credibility. We should be practical rather than emotional on this matter and carry out some evaluation of the schemes. I recall that FÁS carried out annual evaluations where each participant and supervisor was asked about the benefits of the scheme, its impact on job opportunities, educational status and self-esteem. We should carry out similar investigations rather than conducting a slagging match in the House.

I plead with the Minister of State to follow his heart. He stood up for this issue and is aware that community employment schemes have been successful. They have contributed to the socio-economic life of communities in rural and urban areas. I urge him to use his influence at parliamentary party meetings.