Dole queue beckons for people dumped from schemes

THREE out of four people dumped from community employment schemes (CES) have ended up back on the dole queues.

Now Fine Gael wants the Government to let them work again on another scheme that would only cost the Exchequer 5 extra a week for each worker.

Fine Gael’s deputy Enterprise, Trade and Employment spokesman, Gerard Murphy said it is absolute nonsense not to let almost 14,000 people work again for such a small amount of money.

“The Government could easily fast-track a supplementary budget through the Dáil to finance this and Fine Gael would support it,” Deputy Murphy said.

The schemes were slashed by Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Mary Harney because she said they should just be used for training and not provide full-time employment. By the end of the year it is expected that 19,000 people will have left these schemes out of a total of 25,000.

But Mr Murphy said the big problem is that 75% of those who have left these schemes already have now gone back on the dole.

“This accounts for almost 14,000 people who have very little chance of getting another job because of social or family pressures or their rural location,” he added. Among the almost 14,000 who left the schemes between January and October this year were:

Over 50s - 3,894.

Lone parents -6,000.

Disability - 3,000.

Widowed persons - 609.

Deputy Murphy believes it would be far better to have these people working and contributing to their communities rather than have them on the dole queues.

He called on Ms Harney to set up a Social Employment Scheme, in conjunction with the Department of Social and Family Affairs, for those who have ended up on the dole.

“This would give them the dignity of work again, allow them to contribute to community projects and would only cost the State 5 more a week for each worker ,” Deputy Murphy said.

Junior Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Frank Fahy told the Dáil that his department, FÁS and the Department of Social Welfare as well as an inter-departmental committee are carrying out a complete review of the schemes.

And the Government expected to be in a position by the time of the next Estimates to have a new scheme up and running that will cater for those who need it most.

Responding to calls for a supplementary estimate to be fast-tracked through the Dáil to get these people back to work immediately, Ms Harney’s spokesman said that it was not simply a question of money.

“It is also about getting the best structure that will cater for people’s needs and provide worthwhile community projects,” he said.