I have offered to share time with Deputy Crowe. I do not see him in the House, but I hope I will be able to do so should he appear.
I raise this issue on what has been a black day for my constituency, with the announcement of 120 job losses at Gallaher's, Tallaght. As public representatives, we understand the importance of job creation in our areas. What we need in our constituencies, and in south-west Tallaght in particular, is job creation. I acknowledge the presence of Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, in the House and I would appreciate if he would convey to the Minister my concern regarding CE schemes in my constituency.
Community employment schemes have served communities well. A number of organisations have benefited in critical ways from such schemes. I am a board member of the Tallaght Welfare Society. I was previously a board member of Get Tallaght Working and I have been involved in other organisations such as the Tallaght centre for the unemployed. We are receiving mixed messages about what is proposed in relation to CE schemes. Disadvantaged communities should, as a right, get as much discrimination towards their needs as is possible. One could make a political point on the needs of RAPID areas. Like other colleagues, I represent RAPID areas in Tallaght west, Killinarden, Brookfield, Jobstown and Fettercairn.
I ask the Minister of State to make a definite commitment during the debate on this issue to take care of RAPID areas in terms of CE schemes. It is important that he understand the need to provide clarity in respect of such schemes. I realise that these are operational matters for FÁS, but we are receiving mixed messages from that organisation. We are told that the cuts will not be as severe as we were led to believe. I understand that FÁS management met representatives of the Tallaght partnership in recent days. The message which came from that meeting was anything but positive. I need assurances from the Minister of State in that regard.
A number of organisations gathered under the auspices of the Tallaght centre for the unemployed on two separate Mondays in recent months. We had a long discussion, under the chairmanship of Senator O'Toole, during which the organisations made clear to us how difficult it is for them to manage those schemes. We need to continue to support these schemes as much as possible and we must ensure that the agency is instructed to look after disadvantaged communities. I hope the Minister of State can give me assurances in that regard.
I also hope he can give me a commitment to visit, at our invitation, Tallaght over the next couple of weeks to see for himself the good work being done there.