4,500 jobs at risk €80m cut for social schemes

COMMUNITY and voluntary organisations are in crisis, with more than €80 million in direct state support to be removed from the sector this year.

Amid claims the Government is zoning in on the community and voluntary sector more than other areas, the cuts could result in at least 4,500 job losses.

It is estimated many more millions of euro to be channelled into the sectors by the HSE will also be lost.