SF Warns Of Impact Of Community Employment Cuts

Sinn Féin President and Louth TD Gerry Adams has warned that the government's planned cuts to the Community Employment scheme will have a "grievous impact on many community based projects and services across the state".

Deputy Adams was speaking in the Dáil on Wednesday evening during a Private Members motion opposing the government’s cuts to the Community Employment Scheme during which he pointed to the "disastrous social consequences of the austerity policies of this government".

Deputy Adams said: "These consequences are evident every day in the cuts to essential public services; the numbers of young people leaving our shores; the cuts to DEIS schools; the slashing of school guidance counsellors; the attack on rural communities through the septic tanks debacle; stealth taxes; the crisis in our health service, and now the imposition of cuts to Community Employment schemes which will in effect see the end of many such schemes.

"At the same time the government hands over billions of taxpayers’ money to zombie banks – as much as €20 billion last year. Next month €3.1 billion – almost as much as the total cut in the budget – will be paid to Anglo-Irish."

Deputy Adams continued: "The attack on Community Employment Schemes is an attack on vulnerable and disadvantaged communities across the state and on the long term unemployed who are trying to get back to work.

"Community Employment Schemes provide essential services and should be protected against budget cuts.

"The savage cuts introduced in the last Budget means that CE Schemes are threatened with a massive 66% cut in their training and education grants, which means many schemes will not be able to function.

"If Labour Party TDs truly believe that these schemes play a vital role in communities in terms of providing services such as community childcare then they should support this motion."

(CD)