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DAIL DEBATE
Private Members Community Employment Schemes DÁIL ÉIREANN
Mr. Kelleher: It is nice to see that, at least, the Labour Party is now following the Fianna Fáil Party in tabling motions that are of interest to the community at large. I understand that next week it will have another motion we will have debated this week. Nobody is disputing the important role that community employment schemes have played over many years in areas of social disadvantage by aiding the development and upgrading of personal skills. We must accept, however, that next year's programme will allow for 25,000 places in the jobs initiative, social economy or community employment schemes. Ms Shortall: That is not the same. Mr. Kelleher: There will be 25,000 places. Mr. S. Ryan: It is a different scheme. Mr. Stagg: It is being cut as well. Mr. Kelleher: FÁS will have flexibility with regard to the funding issue. Mr. Howlin: What flexibility? Mr. Kelleher: The Labour Party does not seem to understand the fact that there will be flexibility with regard to funding for next year's programmes. I support what Deputy O'Connor said in highlighting the importance of the community employment schemes. Mr. Stagg: Is that why the Deputy's party is cutting them? Mr. Kelleher: I represent an area that has experienced difficulties of social disadvantage over a number of years. People say the community employment schemes have been very beneficial. Mr. Stagg: Then why is the Deputy's party cutting them? Mr. Kelleher: More importantly, they have achieved what they set out to do, namely, to upskill people and move them into long-term employment. That was the objective of the community employment scheme initially. Mr. Stagg: Why did the Government not keep it going? Mr. Kelleher: It is disingenuous of the Labour Party to come in here and say one thing when it knows well that unemployment figures have gone down. Mr. F. McGrath: An exercise in the optics. Mr. Kelleher: That is a fact. It was outflanked by the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party and felt it had to put down a motion on the community employment scheme. With regard to the obsession of the Opposition about what goes on at a Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting, I will tell it what takes place. Passionate speeches such as the one we heard from Deputy O'Connor are an everyday occurrence, no more and no less. |