Vol. 432 No. 6
27 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many people employed through FÁS in essential services such as the care of handicapped children are being dispensed with apparently due to lack of funds from his Department; and if he will review the situation immediately.
I take it that the Deputy is referring to Teamwork which is administered by FÁS. I was aware that there were difficulties with the renewal of projects involved with the care of the handicapped in one particular region. However, I understand that additional funds have been made available within FÁS to the region in question which will enable the renewal of all projects dealing with the handicapped in that region. It must be understood that such reallocation can only be done at the expense of other FÁS activities.
I have to point out that the objective of Teamwork is to provide temporary community based employment opportunities for young unemployed people on projects of benefit to the young people and their communities.
An Exchequer allocation of £3.5 million has been made available to FAS for expenditure on Teamwork in 1993 which will provide opportunities for about 840 young people throughout the year.
I am aware that some voluntary groups providing services on a continuing basis at local level, including organisations involved in the care of handicapped children, have come to rely on Teamwork for assistance in providing their services. However, Teamwork was never intended to operate in this way.
Rather the intention was that projects would be of a finite nature which would allow flexibility in providing opportunities for young people in different parts of the country. Funding for ongoing services in the health area is a matter for the Department of Health and the appropriate Health Board.
The management of Teamwork within the available funding is a day to day matter for FÁS.
