A HIGH-RANKING delegation from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions met Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton yesterday to express its concerns about changes to the funding of community employment (CE) schemes.
Ictu general secretary David Begg, Siptu president Jack O’Connor and Impact national secretary Matt Staunton led the delegation, which highlighted worries about the impact the cuts would have for the schemes and, by extension, the communities they serve.
Siptu’s David Connolly, speaking ahead of the meeting, said the cutbacks would have severely adverse impacts on communities.
The Labour Party had also scheduled a special parliamentary party meeting for last night on the issue. Several backbenchers have been critical of the changes and want a review to be carried out. However, the meeting was rearranged at the last moment and will now take place tomorrow evening.
In Co Wicklow, last-minute moves are under way to secure the future of an angling park for people with disabilities, which is run under a CE scheme and is now threatened with closure.
The National Disabled Angling Park in Aughrim, which is sponsored by Aughrim Tidy Towns, saw a 66 per cent cut to its materials and training grants from January 1st. The park employs 23 people.
On Monday night, Aughrim Tidy Towns held an emergency meeting, where it was unanimously agreed to uphold the decision to close the scheme on Friday unless funding was restored.
Park manager Barry Moules said the park had to close because it was losing money every day it remained open.
The Department of Social Protection took over responsibility for CE schemes from Fás at the start of the year.
A spokesman said Ms Burton had made it clear that no CE scheme would be required to close pending a review which is starting shortly. He said department officials had been in contact with the park’s board and management and were anxious to continue that engagement.
Mr Moules said a meeting would be held today between department officials and members of the scheme but unless funding was restored immediately the closure would go ahead.