Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)

I join with the Cathaoirleach in welcoming to the House the Minister of State, Deputy Kelleher, and I wish him well and every success in the course of his Ministry.

We all are aware of the difficulties encountered by people over 50 in sourcing alternative employment. All in this House, and perhaps in the other House, have been good exponents of community employment schemes because they have transformed towns and villages throughout the country. Without the input of community employment schemes many of our towns and villages would not look as well as they do and would not have been as successful as they are in the tidy towns competitions.

Community employment schemes also give people the dignity of work. Many people on community employment schemes are in the over 55 age group and they would find it difficult to get jobs in the open marketplace, but they are extremely content to do such valuable work on these schemes. It would be a retrograde step that a person who was on a scheme would have to return to unemployment assistance. It degrades the dignity which sustained him or her in that job at that time.

It would also be a false economy. The extra cost to the Exchequer in training a person on a FÁS scheme as opposed to unemployment assistance is very small. Community employment schemes play a useful role and provide benefits across a wide range of activities, from crèches to people with disabilities.

I wish to emphasise that it is important for those with disabilities who are fortunate enough to get on schemes. They, too, do equally good and valuable work. It is extremely important that people work in community employment and that we hold them there, if we can, until they reach retirement age.

I look forward to hear the Minister of State on this subject. I stressed the difficulty that such people would have in securing alternative employment. We all are aware of the good voluntary and community work which they do, from cutting grass to cleaning up generally and caretaking in community halls. The young volunteers who often did this work in the past are not there now. I would stress that people with disabilities who have been fortunate enough to get on a scheme would be lost without it.

I would plead with the Minister of State. I look forward to hearing his response about which I am hopeful and confident. Please God, that will be positive.