Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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Officials from my Department hold regular meetings with representative associations to discuss issues of mutual interest in relation to the delivery of all employment programmes; Community employment (CE), Job Initiative (JI), the Rural Social Scheme (RSS) and Tús.

With regard to the issue raised by the Deputy, the Department is involved in ongoing discussions, as a partner in a tripartite group, also involving Union and the Implementing Bodies representatives. The Deputy may wish to note that there are differences in the work undertaken by CE supervisors and that undertaken by Tús supervisors.

The Deputy will also be aware that all supervisors and assistant supervisors employed on CE, JI, Tús and RSS schemes received a 5% pay increase in 2023, which has been made possible through the provision of additional grant funding from my Department.

I wish to assure the Deputy that the work undertaken by supervisors on all employment schemes is valued and makes an important contribution to participants and communities across the State.