Colm Burke (Fine Gael)

The Government has established the JobBridge programme, which is a welcome development. Recently, I was contacted by someone who is running a community hospital. They are prepared to provide training to people who want to work as carers in the community. They have set up a training scheme within the community hospital, which is not taking jobs away from anyone. They have more than adequate staff in that hospital, but they have now been told that they cannot take on people under the JobBridge programme. A huge opportunity is being lost as a result. It was an opportunity to train people who want to work in the community. There is an urgent need for trained carers to help elderly people who want to remain in their own homes. We do not have an adequate number of people with the required qualifications and experience. The community hospital was prepared to provide that training and experience.

There have been cuts across a number of Departments such as in the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, in which Deputy Richard Bruton is Minister, the Department of Social Protection, under the Minister, Deputy Joan Burton, and the Department of Health. I ask the Leader to bring this to the attention of the Ministers concerned. The regulations should be amended to accommodate this initiative as developed by a community hospital, where a very good programme has been put in place in order to provide training and experience.