Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

This is why structures which may be close to the Senator's heart found themselves in difficulties. They might not be democratic or accountable to anybody except maybe to a Department whereas the democratic accountability should be at local level. The expansion of community employment schemes is very closely involved with ensuring the people in a community who want to do what Senator Quinn is advocating will be able to work in a structured and supervised way and also with the help of a structure called local government to deliver for the local people. We are in discussions with the trade union movement and with local government and the Department of Social Protection to roll out in 2012 an expansion of that programme through local government.

I note Senator Ó Clochartaigh has a certain problem with local government but I do not have that problem.