James Bannon (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for coming into the House to take this matter on the Adjournment which relates to the closure of St. Mel's training centre in Longford. I thought we would have a celebration in Longford today as this is the proposed starting date for the refurbishment of the courthouse. The Minister saw the plans for that recently. However, the date seems to have passed without anything being done. Perhaps that is not surprising given that it is April fool's day. I hope it will start in the coming week.

The cuts in funding for St. Mel's training centre in Longford over the past 12 months have been in excess of the national trend of funding withdrawals for community employment schemes. These cuts have resulted in the schemes being reduced from 11 participants and supervisors to six participants and no supervisors. This situation is most unfortunate given that the cutbacks and the resultant threat to the future of this centre affect one of the most disadvantaged groups in our society, namely, the Travelling community.

St. Mel's education and training centre opened on 1 September 1987, under the management of the Travellers Resettlement Committee, and had an initial group of 24 participants — 12 boys and 12 girls. At that time it was operated under AnCO, as FÁS was then known, and the emphasis was on skills or vocational training. The centre was one of 30 similar ones nationwide. With the improved participation in national schools by the Traveller community, the emphasis in the centre moved towards education. The takeover of the centre by County Longford VEC and the setting up of the further education section within the Department of Education and Science reflected the change, as did the setting up of FETAC, the Further Education and Training Awards Council.

St. Mel's centre has evolved over the years and taken on a number of large scale projects, chief among which was the building of Michael Neary Park. This was undertaken in conjunction with Longford County Council, which provided the site, and in partnership with FÁS. During the course of the construction of the dressing rooms, showers and meeting room, a group of trainees, all Travellers, received training and certification in construction skills. This facility was opened in 2002 and provides a centre for Longford Wanderers FC, the local Travellers team, and is also used as a centre for homework clubs and so forth for the Traveller community. The striking monument on the Dublin Road roundabout at Kilnasavogue is notable for three black steel figures which greet the traffic approaching the town from the Dublin direction. It was entirely designed and made in St. Mel's and erected by the students and teachers.

Up to 2002, the centre had a community employment scheme of many years' standing. However, at the end of this year the scheme was vastly reduced. In fact, the scheme was subsumed under a much larger scheme known as Longford town suburbs. This arrangement lasted a mere 12 months up to last December. When the scheme was renewed in late January 2004, it was reduced to six participants.

This is a valuable and worthwhile project, which gives hope and dignity to one of our most vulnerable groups. Funding is the lifeline of any scheme but in this case it is the lifeline of a culturally and historically much marginalised section of our society. I ask the Minister to restore and enhance funding for this vital scheme. To see the work of years destroyed for lack of financial input is heartbreaking for the people who have given so much of their time and expertise to creating such a worthwhile endeavour and to those whose futures depend on their expertise.

I acknowledge the huge input of Sean Stakum, Josephine O'Donnell, the county manager and my colleagues on Longford County Council. We have wholeheartedly supported this scheme for a number of years. It is a huge blow to those seeking progress for our county to see cutbacks of this nature occurring. The Minister has a big soft heart, so I am sure he will ensure that funding is provided for the continuance of the scheme. It is important for the people of Longford and particularly for the most marginalised in society. I would appreciate a positive response.