Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join Senator Buttimer in welcoming Mr. Cleary to the House. It is so important that in the midst of trouble, people are willing to rise above the climate and see beyond the horizon. I thank him and others for that. I also agree with Senator Buttimer's point about community employment schemes. They are very important to so many communities. The community employment supervisor issue has been raised in this House many times with the current and previous Ministers for Social Protection. Supervisors are seeking a gratuity and I know the Minister has been dealing with that issue, as have her predecessors. As the Minister knows well, community employment schemes in places like Drum and other villages around the country are crucially important in rural Ireland.