I intend to share time with a number of colleagues. I wish to associate myself with the expressions of sympathy on the sad death of Jim Mitchell. His brother Peter, who died at Christmas 14 years ago, was a friend and constituent of mine. I also extend my sympathy to the Fine Gael Members.
I represent the constituency of Dublin South West where there are a considerable number of busy and active community employment schemes. I am not going to say one thing and do another. I am very supportive of community employment schemes and I have had much contact with the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, in that regard. I compliment the Minister of State on the open ear approach he has taken. He has listened to us and I hope he will continue to do so.
I represent a constituency where there was a huge unemployment problem. Over the past ten years we have made great progress in regard to unemployment figures. Community employment schemes have made a significant contribution in that regard. Different clubs and projects have succeeded in surviving by the effective use of community employment schemes. I am sure other colleagues would concur on this point.
Recently, I had the opportunity of meeting the Minister of State with a delegation from Partas, the Get Tallaght Working Co-operative. It was founded in 1984 as a direct response to the unemployment problems then being experienced in Tallaght. Partas is a good example of a community employment scheme that works well. It was a positive meeting in the sense that not only did the delegation take the opportunity of expressing its concerns to the Minister of State but it also gave him some innovative ideas on how it saw the community employment scheme projects developing.
Other Deputies will be able to tell of the work done by schemes in their areas. I highlight Partas because over the past number of years it has been able to create definite and sustainable employment through the recruitment of people for community employment schemes. The long-term unemployed were given an opportunity to get on a scheme, thereby assisting the community through their work on different projects. Many of them moved into full-time jobs. We must continue to allow this to happen.
The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cuív, stated in Tallaght last week, in regard to the review of the scheme that we must continue to cater for the disadvantaged communities throughout the country. As far as Dublin South West and Tallaght is concerned, I will be making that point to the Minister of State. He must continue to look at innovative ways of developing the schemes.
There are other agencies and groups, including the employer groups, who have a definite role to play as far as re-training is concerned. They must continue to make a contribution in that regard. Over the past 20 years community employment schemes have made a big impact. They have become an indispensable part of community services and we must continue to maintain that.
The Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has a key role to play at a time that there are pressures on the schemes. Community groups are struggling to keep their services going and to keep community centres open. We must create a situation where they could seek grants either directly from the Department or through local authorities. The Minister should apply himself to looking at such areas.
The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment also has a role to play in this regard. Her Department could put a great deal of pressure on employers to be flexible in taking on workers and to create conditions where, for example, working hours would be more flexible to cover those coming off schemes and maintain jobs. This is important business and the Minister of State should understand that Government backbenchers have concerns. We want him to reply to them.