Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Tá na saoistí ar na scéimeanna sóisialta tuaithe ag obair an-mhaith ar fud na tíre. Dar leo, tá easpa cothromaíochta idir na coinníollacha oibre ata acu féin agus na coinníollacha atá ag saoistí ar na scéimeanna eile.

I am sure the Minister of State will be well aware of the considerable work that is done on the rural social schemes throughout the country. It is a very important scheme that has provided significant supports in local rural communities for those on meagre enough incomes and subsistence to try to keep people in their communities. There have been a lot of questions in the past year or so on the pay and conditions of the supervisors on these schemes that fall within the remit of the Department of Social Protection. Senator Higgins organised a good presentation from the supervisors of the rural social schemes where they highlighted quite a number of these issues.

Much of the work done on roads, piers, graveyards, community halls and across the community is done in conjunction with some of the other schemes, such as Tús and the community employment schemes, particularly in recent times when there was bad weather. It is felt that a lot of the work being done is on a par with the work being done under those other schemes but that the working conditions of the supervisors are not comparable. This has been subject to an application to the Workplace Relations Commission to try to have these issues resolved. What dumbfounds me is how the Department of Social Protection, with two Labour Party Ministers, has not even engaged with the Workplace Relations Commission to try to resolve these issues. That is unacceptable.

I asked a number of months ago and the Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection, Deputy Kevin Humphreys, came to the House to address this issue. I do not see that there has been any real progress made on it.It is important that we try to resolve this issue before year's end, if possible. The schemes' supervisors deserve parity of esteem with other supervisors doing similar work. It is incumbent on the Department of Social Protection to treat them fairly. They do not feel as if they are being treated. The Labour Minister and Minister of State in the Department should uphold workers' rights, respect the wishes of the unions that are involved, treat this as a matter of urgency and try to resolve it before the Christmas break. It has gone on for too long. I hope that the Minister of State will, on behalf of his ministerial colleagues in the Department, have some light at the end of the tunnel for us.