Vol. 418 No. 5
128 Mr. Noonan (Limerick East) asked the Minister for Labour if his attention has been drawn to the widespread concern among persons who provide services for the handicapped, that certain FÁS schemes, which provide educational and workshop facilities for the handicapped are being discontinued; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I assume that the Deputy is referring to Teamwork which is designed to provide opportunities on local projects of a finite nature for young people on the live register.
Teamwork is fully funded by the Exchequer. The 1992 allocation for the scheme had been reduced to £3 million but I announced last week that I had allocated an additional £0.5 million to the scheme in 1992 which should help to alleviate current difficulties.
I must emphasise that the focus of the scheme is to provide opportunities for young people in their search for permanent employment. It was never intended that the scheme would provide funding for groups providing local services on a continuing basis. Groups providing such services, including those providing services for the handicapped, should seek to secure their State funding from the appropriate Departments and agencies which, in the case of services for the handicapped, would be the health boards and the Department of Health.
