Minister urged to rethink CE Scheme plan

A NORTHSIDE community employment scheme has pleaded
with Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton to take a less number crunching
approach to the implementation of cuts to CE schemes.

Heidi Bedell, a spokesperson for Donaghmede-based
Trinity Adult Resource Group for Education and Training (TARGET), made her
appeal following Minister Burton’s Dail speech in which she reiterated her
intention to implement

?¬27.5 million worth of crippling cuts to the schemes.

Ms Bedell urged Minister Burton not to make broad cuts
to address the lack of success of some schemes.

Minister Burton said that while she recognised the
value and contribution schemes can have, not all schemes are of benefit to
participants.

She pointed to a report that was critical of the
schemes in terms of labour market progression and an ESRI report published last
year, which indicated that CE participation was not associated with increased
employment opportunities.

“Not all schemes are sufficiently focused on the
employability of participants,

? stated Minister Burton.

“The provision of the service can sometimes take
precedence over the needs of the individual.

“Likewise for some schemes there is insufficient focus
on progressing the individual into employment.

?

Minister Burton also reiterated her plans to cut the
training and materials grant, which many schemes heavily rely on for day-to-day
operations.

“Let me be clear: we will be ceasing the current
practice of giving the same level of training and materials grants to all
schemes irrespective of the length of time participants are on schemes,

? she
added.

“There are approximately 2,000 participants on schemes
for five years or more.

“Their need for training is considerably less than
those who are new entrants.

?

Ms Bedell believes the report referred to by Minister
Burton is only concerned with finances.

“The report only asked us about money,

? she told
Northside People.

“There is no qualitive analysis being carried out,
it’s just quantitive.

“We weren’t asked about any case studies or
information about the situation of participants.

“There also doesn’t seem to be any regard for the
wider benefits that CE schemes have on community services such as
meals-on-wheels.

“While I accept that not all schemes are successful, I
feel the Minister would be better off improving those that aren’t working well
rather than throwing the baby out with the bath water by cutting all schemes.

?

According to Ms Bedell, the Department of Social
Protection should consider the circumstances of those who participate in CE
schemes in relation to the training and materials grant.

“Many people we’ve had on the scheme for over five
years are aged over 55,

? she explained.

“These are people who have usually been unemployed for
a long time and are trying to get back into employment or they have just been
made unemployed after a very long time working in the same place.

“It’s not a case of them completing a computer course
and then being ready to enter the world of IT.

“They need the CE scheme to give them confidence and
to boost their morale enough to get back out there on their own.

?

The implementation of the cuts will become clear at
the end of March when a financial report is due for completion.

There are 23 CE participants employed by TARGET, which
is a registered charity that provides literacy support, affordable childcare
and courses to further the education of service users.

Meanwhile Dublin North West TD Dessie Ellis (SF) said
the cuts amounted to the Government

“attacking disadvantaged communities.

?

“The Government is proposing to cut

?¬27.5 million from
the Community Employment scheme budget,

? he said.

“This is exactly the same
amount of money that the Government allowed NAMA to spend on legal fees to
private companies since 2010.

?

Local Sinn Fein member Noeleen Reilly described the
cuts as

“an attack on the long-term unemployed, on older people and people with
disabilities.

?

“Community Employment schemes provide a valuable
service to both the unemployed and to disadvantaged communities,

? she said.

“Cutting their funding is wrong. Indeed, at a time of
rising unemployment and social inequality. The Government should be increasing
investment in Community Employment.

?