Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for attending to address this issue. I also thank and acknowledge a couple of staff from St. Andrew's community centre in Rialto who are present for highlighting to me during the summer the problems facing the community service programme, CSP. The other staff are busy hosting a local economic event in the area today.

Community service projects are the bedrock of communities throughout Ireland. They are the link in the chain that serves to empower individuals to create a better society. They fill gaps in the provision of services that the Government does not provide. They educate, advocate, listen, guide and enable people to become leaders in their communities. As public representatives, we are merely the voice that is given to us from meeting projects daily, weekly and monthly.

There are more than 400 community service projects throughout the country providing child care, drug rehabilitation, youth projects, community development, training, education, etc. Without them, society would have been broken even further during the most recent recession.

Since January, the minimum wage increased from €8.65 to €9.15. Sinn Féin welcomed this but is committed to providing for a living wage. Community service projects also welcomed the increase in the minimum wage and view it as a means to allow their staff to live, not just to survive. The problem arises from the fact that Pobal's annual contribution towards employing a full-time staff member remained at €19,033, inclusive of employer's PRSI. This served to pay the employee the minimum wage of €8.65, with the balance covering the PRSI contribution exactly. It was communicated to projects through Pobal that its annual contribution would not increase to provide the extra money required for them to pay the increased minimum wage lawfully.

Community service projects are nothing without their employees. The employees are the recognisable, hard-working faces that ensure communities advance. Therefore, projects want to be able to pay them a fair wage and fulfil their responsibilities as good employers.This is easily solved. Whether there was an anomaly, oversight or distinct decision made at the time not to increase the contribution, it now needs to be rectified. The upcoming budget provides a space to do this and increase the annual contribution to community service projects in order that they can pay their staff adequately.

I thank the staff and volunteers in St. Andrew's community centre, Rialto, and the hundreds of other community service projects throughout the country who do amazing work for society day in, day out. I hope for a positive response.