Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday, when President Zelenskyy was speaking to the Dáil and Seanad in very unfortunate circumstances, it struck me when he stated Ireland’s “skill in valuing lives ... [and] its community development experience” are among what we are known for throughout the world. I found that very empowering for us as a country, in that we are recognised not just for our culture of drinking or music but also for the community development role we play in the world.

I am a qualified community development worker, so I know the value of community work, how it can benefit people in marginalised communities and how it can empower people. It empowered me to be where I am today, and it plays a key role in my everyday political work in Leinster House in working for a common goal, being strategic and working with people. Community development work can empower groups and open people's eyes. There is an expression whereby once someone's eyes have been opened to the world, it is very difficult to close them again and to pretend he or she cannot see what is going on around him or her.

In that context, I call for the Minister of State with responsibility for community development, Deputy Joe O'Brien, to come to the House to speak about how important community development work is in Ireland and the key role it can play in communities, as I outlined. Most important, following the most recent economic crash, our sector was, unfortunately, the most severely hit and there was a lack of jobs and so on. Some people with expertise in economics might say we are heading towards another crash and that circumstances for people in Ireland are getting worse. We in community development work are somewhat fearful for our sector, although Community Work Ireland is working hard to secure our future.

While we in Ireland do not always value the sector and it can be undermined in that people might consider someone who is a professional community development worker to be no more than a "community worker", community development is at the heart of what we do and it is exactly what we are doing now for Ukrainian refugees. It is work we do every day. Our sector's safety should be guaranteed and we should be treated like the professionals we are. Again, therefore, I call on the Minister of State to come to the House to give us an update on the sector and on what will happen for us in the near future.