Adjournment Debate.

Job Initiative.

Ms O’Sullivan

I welcome the opportunity to raise this matter on the Adjournment of the House. While I have nothing against my constituency colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley, I hoped to see the new Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment replying to this matter tonight. It is a very important matter to do with the five RAPID areas of Limerick City that are the most deprived parts of the city, as the Minister of State will be well aware, and the threat to the job initiative positions in those five areas, namely, Moyross, Southill, St. Mary's, Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Munchin's. Approximately 200 people stand to lose their jobs within the next five to six months as a result.

These communities are very deprived and unfortunately are frequently cited in the media because of various problems but they have a wonderful community spirit and the job initiative workers particularly, do invaluable work. It is community sabotage if these jobs are allowed to go.

The work includes maintenance of green areas in the estates and running crèches for children. In Moyross, the work includes monitoring cameras, which is of assistance to the Garda. Some of the workers have given evidence in murder trials. They provide meals for elderly people. There is support for the schools in the form of well-known sports people coaching the children and literacy classes and a wide variety of activities are organised in these communities.

I cannot understand how a Government that is now saying it will try to lift all boats, is caring and sharing and concerned about the marginalised, can allow this to happen. The Minister of State will be aware that the time frame for addressing this issue is very short. The communities have been informed they must cut the overall numbers on job initiative by either two or three in each community and people have already been put on notice in that regard. The other issue is that people who have been on the scheme for more than three years have been informed they must go within six months, probably five months from now. There are not people available who are eligible to take over these jobs in the schemes because applicants must be over 35 years and five years unemployed.

We propose that the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment give a year's grace in order that a sound framework can be established to set up what I describe as a community jobs scheme similar to the rural jobs scheme already in existence under the auspices of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. These community jobs are worth doing for their own sake and should not be reliant on what FÁS describes as labour market interventions. It is essential that these jobs be taken away from FÁS because its remit is not to provide support for communities but rather to provide labour market interventions that lead people on to full employment. The communities need this work; the people are doing an excellent job. These communities should not be abandoned and the work is of significant importance to them. The people involved are making great efforts to improve the lives and the environment of the community around them. I want them to be given a year's grace to allow for setting up a permanent scheme to provide for community jobs to do the work currently being undertaken by people on the job initiative scheme so that it can be continued on a sustained and long-term basis. Time is of the essence and we need a decision from Government. We require cross-departmental and sensible thinking, otherwise these communities will suffer hugely.

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. T. O’Malley)

I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for her contribution. When reviewing the opportunities and resources offered to communities it is important to emphasise that a wide range of active labour market, training and education programmes operate across a number of Departments, aimed at improving the prospects of unemployed and inactive persons progressing to jobs in the open labour market. In addition to employment programmes there are employment subsidies such as the back to work allowance and back to work enterprise allowance, and the educational opportunities provided by the back to education allowance and the vocational training opportunities scheme. The programmes operated by FÁS under the aegis of this Department are job initiative, community employment and the social economy programme, which between them currently account for approximately 25,000 places.

Job initiative is an active labour market programme aimed at those over 35 years of age who have been unemployed for the previous five years, with the primary objective of progressing these participants into the open labour market. It is specifically targeted at equipping the long-term unemployed, through identified worthwhile work and training, with the skill that will allow them to enter the labour force. Work experience is provided on a full-time basis for up to three years for participants, with flexibility for a one-year extension in specific cases where it can be shown to have a progression benefit. The allocation of places to individual projects and within regions is an administrative matter for FÁS that estimates there will be approximately 2000 participants on job initiative at year-end. There were 316 places available in the Limerick region at the beginning of the year and the projected figure for the end of the year is 284. However, when community employment places are taken into account there will be an additional 14 places provided in this region by year-end. Job initiative is a labour market programme and, as such, the concept of progression by participants is central to it. Participants must abide by the terms of their contracts and move from the programme after an agreed period of support and development. This is necessary so that vacancies will become available on a rolling basis and in order that other long-term unemployed and disadvantaged groups may have the opportunity to participate in the programme. Approximately 80% of participants on the job initiative programme in Limerick have been on the programme for four years or longer and a number have remained on the programme since it commenced in 1997.

It is important to recognise that full employment is the most effective route out of poverty, disadvantage and dependency on State welfare and must remain the primary objective for participants in active labour market programmes such as job initiative. A willingness to engage in progression, whether directly into the jobs market or if appropriate into further education or training opportunities, has always been an essential part of the scheme.

The proper functioning of this process would be of benefit to both the local communities within which the job initiative project is based and the country as a whole. Over the past 18 months FÁS has supported managing agents in their efforts to progress all persons who have been participating on job initiative projects for more than three years. This would apply to the participants in Limerick. These persons are being offered the high support process, customised training, main-line training and job seeking support. The high supports process is designed to provide a flexible response for persons experiencing barriers in progressing from unemployment to employment in the open labour market, and is based on the individual needs of clients with the support of a fund of up to a maximum of €2,200 per person. Where vacancies are created these are being filled on an ongoing basis by either job initiative or community employment participants. Over the past year, FÁS has endeavoured to support local communities in Limerick in the services they wish to deliver while keeping the focus of the schemes on securing jobs for participants in the open labour market.

School Accommodation.

Mr. Hogan

I am grateful for the opportunity of raising the important matter of a new school at the School of the Holy Spirit, Gaol Road, Kilkenny. The Department of Education and Science designated the School of the Holy Spirit for pupils with emotional disturbance or those pupils who present with autistic spectrum disorders or ASD. Until recently the school catered for pupils in the primary-school age group but as the school is to expand, providing second level education for pupils with ASD, the pupils reaching post-primary age will in future be retained within the school.

The school has six classes, operating a six to one pupil-teacher ratio. There are 32 pupils aged between five and 13 years enrolled and 24 of these pupils have a diagnosis of ASD. It has come to the notice of public representatives and the school authorities that there is insufficient accommodation at the present site to facilitate six pupils in the School of the Holy Spirit, Gaol Road, Kilkenny. This has developed into a more serious matter given that there is insufficient school accommodation to cater for the needs of the people of Kilkenny city.

The development of the existing site at Holy Spirit special school, Gaol Road, was strongly supported by the Bishop of Ossory, Dr. Forristal, and the diocese. With the help of teachers, special school assistants and parents, it has developed an enormous reputation as a valued education resource for those children with disabilities.

The main school building comprises four classrooms, a staff room, a dining room with a serving area and a small assembly-PE hall with some office space off it for the multidisciplinary team, a small office used as a library and the principal's office. The fifth classroom within this building is located in a small office space and currently accommodates two pupils. There are two prefabricated buildings in the school yard, one of which accommodates a class of pupils while the other is used for central processing work. The toilets are centrally located within the main school building and pupils require supervision when leaving the classrooms to use them.

There have been recent difficulties regarding windows falling out of the building and repairs are proving difficult due to the presence of asbestos in the structure. However, the school building and the board of management do everything possible to ensure repairs and routine maintenance are carried out to a high standard and that the best possible facility is available to the children, notwithstanding its deterioration and location.

I ask the Minister for Education and Science to ensure the great work being done by parents, teachers and special needs assistants, for the benefit of these children, is recognised in terms by sanctioning the project that has been promised by various people, though not by me, since 2000. Insufficient progress has been made to date to bring the project to construction on a new site that is now available at Callan Road, Kilkenny. I ask the Minister to ensure this project is included in the 2005 Estimates.

Mr. T. O’Malley

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to outline the Department of Education and Science proposals to the House regarding the provision of new accommodation for the Holy Spirit special school in Kilkenny. The school caters for pupils with special educational needs. It has an enrolment of 37 pupils and a staff of seven class teachers and 13 classroom assistants.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a site at Seville Lodge has been purchased for the proposed building project at the Holy Spirit special school, Kilkenny. This project is at the early stages of the architectural planning process, has been assigned a band one rating by the Department and is listed in section 8 of the 2004 schools building programme.

Officials in the Department are examining the current and future enrolment levels for the school in consultation with the Department's inspectorate. In this regard, the Department officials have arranged a meeting between the relevant Department personnel with a view to finalising deliberations on the matter. Further contact will be made with the school authorities when this process is complete.

The Department is aware of the invaluable service provided by Holy Spirit special school, Kilkenny, in catering for the needs of pupils with special needs in the area. Every effort will be made to conclude the deliberations as soon as possible with a view to progressing this project.

In regard to projects that were not authorised to proceed to construction as part of the 2004 schools building programme, including the Holy Spirit special school, Kilkenny, the Department's officials are reviewing all such projects with a view to including them as part of a multi-annual schools building programme from 2005. The Minister expects to make further announcements in this regard before the end of the year.

Hospitals Building Programme.

Mr. McHugh

I thank you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, for allowing me to raise this issue. I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Mr. Tim O'Malley.

I have sought this debate in an attempt to move forward the position concerning Tuam health campus. The hospital in Tuam was closed on 6 April 2001. While it functioned as a hospital until the day it closed, it has not been utilised since for the delivery of health services to people in the catchment area, which comprises north-east Galway, south Mayo and west Roscommon. That was the area it serviced while it functioned as a hospital and that is the same area that is being deprived of proper health care services because it remains closed.

The saga has continued for three years since the former Minister for Health and Children made money available to purchase the Grove Hospital in Tuam, which was being disposed of by the Bon Secours sisters. Unfortunately, that was the end of the action as far as the Government was concerned. Public money amounting to approximately €4 million was expended on the purchase but that asset, purchased with public money, has been allowed remain idle and deteriorate since then. That is a terrible waste of taxpayers' money.

The Western Health Board has identified the need for a community hospital in Tuam and has prepared a planning brief which identifies the need for a community hospital comprising 60 beds in addition to X-ray facilities, a GP unit, day care hospital, dementia day care, mental health day care, primary care unit, an ambulance base and a regional child and family care training centre. That planning brief was submitted to the Department of Health and Children on 8 October 2002 and has been on the Minister's desk since then. During that time nothing has happened. The blame for the inaction lies at the Government's door because the Taoiseach gave a guarantee that the Government would provide a hospital in Tuam. That guarantee was underpinned by a similar assurance from the former Minister for Health and Children to the effect that a hospital would be provided in Tuam. It is now past time for those commitments to be honoured and approval to be given to the Tuam health campus project which encompasses a community hospital.

Since the Western Health Board made its submission to the Minister for Health and Children the case for a hospital in Tuam has been further supported by the national spatial strategy. Under that strategy Tuam is designated as a hub town, the only town in County Galway to receive such designation. The strategy outlines the characteristics of a hub town as including a local or regional hospital. This is an example of a national strategy supporting the case for a hospital in Tuam.

Over a year has passed since the strategy was published and it is time for the Government to give expression to this national policy and its associated aspirations by giving approval to the Tuam hospital project. In recent months the western regional authority published a document entitled Regional Planning Guidelines for the West Region, which identifies the need for the provision of health care services in Tuam, to service the catchment area of north-east Galway, south Mayo and west Roscommon. The case for improved health care services in Tuam was further underlined by the Western Health Board when under a pilot scheme, announced by the Minister for Health and Children regarding the delivery of primary health care, it identified two priority areas. Tuam was one of those two priority areas, the other being Erris, County Mayo. However, the Minister failed to sanction the Tuam application.

In a separate study on the siting of ambulances bases in the Western Health Board region, Tuam was again identified as a priority area for the provision of an ambulance base. This application has been submitted separately to the Minister but, regrettably, the proposal has not been approved to date.

I am not asking that a hospital should be provided overnight in Tuam. What I am seeking is that finance be made available immediately to commence the planning of Tuam hospital and the Tuam health campus, separate finance to be made available for the immediate establishment of the ambulance base and the construction of the primary care unit. If the Tánaiste is to pursue implementation of the Hanly report, she could do no better than develop a prototype local hospital in Tuam as envisaged in that report so that it would be clear to all what is on offer.

Last February I got an undertaking from the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children that an announcement would be made in regard to the Tuam project in 12 to 14 weeks. That was four months ago and we still have no announcement. We need a timescale and we need it now.

Mr. T. O’Malley

I thank Deputy McHugh for raising this matter on the Adjournment. Following the closure by the Bon Secours order of the Grove Hospital in Tuam, the Western Health Board, which is responsible for the provision of health services in the Tuam area, took a decision to build a new 50-bed community hospital on the grounds and adjoining land to replace the existing facility. This new hospital will comprise a mix of up to 30 beds for continuing care with the remaining beds made up of direct access, rehabilitation or convalescent, respite and palliative care beds. In line with what is generally provided in the board's district hospitals, the service will have a very significant mix of multidisciplinary staff, including medical, nursing, nursing support, paramedical, as well as other complementary therapists.

Coupled with this, the board envisages the Tuam hospital functioning as the hub of a comprehensive outreach service, providing home care programmes, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, chiropody, home nursing and home help as well as other flexible packages of care. These specialist care services will, of course, be supported by social support services such as community welfare and home advisory programmes. This project does not, therefore, envisage the re-opening of the old hospital for nursing care purposes.

The Government has made services for older people a priority and is fully committed to the development of a comprehensive health service which is capable of responding quickly, fully and effectively to the health service needs of older people. In recent years, health and social services for older people have improved, both in hospitals and in the community. Since coming into office, the Government has substantially increased the level of finding, both capital and revenue, in respect of services for older people. For example, the amount of additional revenue funding increased from £10 million in 1997 to €100 million in 2003 with a further €9.5 million being allocated this year. This serves to demonstrate the Government's ongoing commitment to improving services for our older population.

Significant capital funding for the health sector has been provided since the commencement of the NDP in 2000. Total expenditure for the years 2000 to 2003 was approximately €1.7 billion. Considerable progress has been made in addressing the historical deficits in health infrastructure and improving the standards of facilities required for quality modern patient care. The national development plan is providing considerable capital funding to services for older people. On a national basis, this will enable a comprehensive infrastructure of community nursing units and day care facilities to be put in place as well as the refurbishment of existing extended care facilities and the replacement of old workhouse-type accommodation. Older people deserve first class facilities and we intend to provide such facilities in appropriate locations.

My Department is examining the health capital programme for 2004 and beyond to ascertain what new projects can be progressed through either planning or construction stages, taking account of existing commitments and overall funding resources available. It is in this context that my Department will continue to liaise with the Western Health Board regarding the proposed development in Tuam in the light of the board's overall capital funding priorities.

Telecommunications Services.

Mr. Rabbitte

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this matter which is of such serious concern to up to 2,000 householders in my constituency and in adjoining areas of Dublin South-West.

On Friday last a number of householders who had subscribed to a direct telephone connection offered by NTL received letters warning them that it was stopping its telephone service due to safety concerns about its equipment. No details were given as to the nature of the safety concerns, but shortly afterwards NTL technicians began arriving at houses in the area to start disconnecting the telephone systems.

Two issues are involved in this case, namely, the safety question and the manner in which customers can be treated by a key service provider. Clearly the safety issue, if real, is the most important one. Householders were alarmed at the letters they had received and their concern was exacerbated by reports that two fires in houses in the area had been caused by faulty connections. I was contacted by a number of householders who had received these letters who asked me to try to find out what was going on.

I was unable on Saturday to get anyone in authority to clarify the situation, neither was any information available on the company's website. When my office eventually made contact with NTL on Monday, the company was less than forthcoming, to put it mildly. This is an appalling way to treat customers and is in stark contrast to the approach of other companies when issues of consumer safety have arisen. In these cases, it would be the norm for the company to take out advertisements, to make company representatives available for interview on news and current affairs programmes and to provide a freephone service to reassure them about the steps being taken to ensure their safety. In this case, the company did the minimum and seemed more interested in protecting itself against any legal action than in reassuring worried householders.

I welcome the statement from ComReg issued on Monday evening setting out the actions it was asking NTL to undertake, including the establishment of a dedicated freephone telephone number; discussions with other telephone service providers on the possibility of similar facilities for affected NTL customers; the establishment of call forwarding or call divert facilities; and the meeting by NTL of the direct costs which customers would otherwise have to pay. Although ComReg did not say so specifically, it is fair to infer from its statement that it was very critical of the manner in which NTL handled this controversy. I hope there will now be a very specific commitment from NTL that it will implement all the requirements set out in the ComReg statement without further delay.

The second area of concern is the way in which customers are treated by a key service provider, licensed by the State to provide for what most people is now an essential public service. There are concerns among some householders that NTL may now take advantage of this controversy to provide itself with an exit strategy from what has proved to be an unprofitable business. NTL originally offered free Internet services to those who signed up with it, but has since been attempting to pull back from this offer. Efforts were made to persuade consumers to switch to broadband.

The end result of all this is that householders are faced with cost and inconvenience. It will cost consumers up to €129 to get reconnected to the Eircom network. NTL originally indicated to consumers that it would pay for this but later suggested that it would simply offer credits to cover the cost. Neither is it clear how long this process will take. Many of those who have been hit are trades people and business people who depend on their phone service to earn their livelihood.

The whole manner in which householders have been treated by NTL has been cavalier. As a result of NTL's actions, householders are in fear for their safety, have not been given the sort of information they should be entitled to, have been left without a telephone service and face unquantified additional costs. Service providers who treat their customers in this way should be subjected to some sanction and, if ComReg does not currently have the powers to take action against companies in cases like this, then the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources should give it the power to do so.

Mr. T. O’Malley

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter which highlights once again the need for a high level of awareness of fire safety and fire precautions in the home.

The regulation of the communications sector is a matter for the Commission for Communication Regulation and I cannot speak for that body in this matter. However, I understand from media reports that there is a technical problem with telephone equipment supplied to customers by NTL which could have fire safety implications and that they have contacted their customers and instructed them to disconnect the equipment. From a fire safety point of view, it is desirable that customers comply with the instruction from NTL and disconnect the equipment. If they have not already done so, I strongly advise them to do so immediately.

It would not be appropriate for me to comment on how the company should deal with this matter into the future. However, it appears that the company acted promptly on discovering the problem. It is a sobering statistic in this context that in 2003 more than 1,300 fires were attributed to problems with electrical equipment and electrical wiring. The discovery of this problem is timely as it comes in the immediate aftermath of the National Safety Council's fire safety week. This was a joint exercise with the Northern Ireland Fire Brigade which focused on the issue of fire safety in the community and reminded us of the danger fire poses for all of us. It is a sad statistic that in 2003, 51 people died in fires on the island of Ireland, many of which could and should have been prevented.

Prevention is always better than cure and we must continue to get the message across in our communities about the dangers of fire and the need for a proactive approach to fire safety in our homes.

Every year, fire brigades attend approximately 10,000 domestic fires. Each of these is a disaster for the household involved; even where there is no death or injury, the disruption and costs involved can be immense. The sad thing is that most of these fires just should not happen. I mentioned electrical fires already; other very common causes of domestic fires are unclean chimneys, failure to use fire guards and accidents involving cigarette smoking. A basic common sense approach to fire safety housekeeping could eliminate these disasters. This is the message which the Government, the fire authorities and the National Safety Council are constantly trying to get across.

Another key message is the need to have early warning systems such as smoke alarms installed and in working order in our homes. If we do that, we can and will save lives and we will be well on the way to significantly reducing the number of fire fatalities in our communities. Analysis of the fire fatalities in domestic premises in this country indicates that a smoke alarm was either not present or was not working in the majority of cases. This is a tragic fact from which we all must learn.

Fire safety in the home is the responsibility of the individual householder. Better awareness of the dangers of fire and of fire hazards, together with common sense fire prevention practices, the installation and maintenance of smoke alarms and having an escape plan, can all help to prevent and reduce the number of fires and the consequent tragic fatalities and injuries. I would ask all Members of this House to play their part in disseminating this fire safety message whenever and wherever the opportunity arises.

The Dáil adjourned at 9 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 13 October 2004.

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht - Tuesday, 12 Oct 2004