Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 6 Oct 2010

Vol. 717 No. 3

Adjournment Debate

Community Employment Schemes

Deputy Tom Hayes

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this important matter for the Adjournment debate. As the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation will be aware, a significant number of community groups and local authorities participated in FÁS schemes from their early days. In every parish and town in County Tipperary, FÁS schemes contributed to education, community work and, in particular, the improvement of villages and towns. I speak of places like Emly, which won the TidyTowns award last year. Many tidy schools, villages and graveyards made good use of FÁS schemes.

The schemes also acted as a training ground for people who learned to become carpenters, brick layers and plasterers. Some of these individuals went on to find jobs that took advantage of the Celtic tiger and they were able improve their lives and that of their families. I can instance many families in south Tipperary who benefited enormously from the training they received through FÁS schemes.

Alongside the poor publicity FÁS has received over the past 12 months, some of these schemes are being cut. People in south Tipperary are worried and unsure whether their schemes will be retained. In particular, South Tipperary County Council requested a meeting with the Minister in the next few weeks regarding its concerns about the continuation of the schemes right across the local authority area. They have helped with things like the TidyTowns competitions and in other work that councils carry out. The schemes allow people to be involved in education, while many mentally handicapped people were also trained through the schemes. These people are now extremely concerned.

I am not raising this issue tonight to bash FÁS, but I just want some clarification for the people of south Tipperary on the type of scheme and the numbers involved. FÁS did a great job in many cases. While we can criticise the organisation on some issues, it has done a lot of good work and many communities benefited greatly. I would like clarification on the future of the schemes in the county.

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation (Deputy Batt O’Keeffe)

I am replying to this Adjournment matter on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it affords me the opportunity to outline to the House the position on community employment programmes.

Community employment is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a fixed-term basis. The purpose of CE is to help unemployed people to re-enter the open labour market by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to a work routine and to assist them in enhancing both their technical and personal skills.

An important feature of CE programmes is the development opportunity which they give to the individuals who participate on the programmes. Eligible projects are those which respond to an identified community need; provide development for participants in areas involving heritage, arts, culture, tourism, sport and the environment; have the agreement of relevant trade unions; do not displace or replace existing jobs; and offer valuable work experience for participants.

In April 2000, the former Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment introduced capped limits on the amount of time that a person could participate on a CE scheme. CE capping was introduced to facilitate the movement of participants through the programme, allowing new participants who would not otherwise have such an opportunity to avail of the programme. To cater for older workers in particular, in November 2004 the standard three year CE cap was revised to allow those of 55 years of age and over to avail of a six year period on community employment, based on participation since 3 April 2000. Subsequently in 2006, the participation limit for persons eligible for CE based on a social welfare disability linked payment, including those under 55, was increased by one year. These measures were introduced in recognition of the fact that older participants and participants with a disability may find it more difficult to progress into the open labour market.

Funding for CE in 2010 has been provided with a view to maintaining overall numbers on FÁS schemes. There are currently over 22,000 people participating on CE schemes nationally. Provision has been made in the 2010 budget for an increase of 500 CE places, bringing the total number of places available to 23,300 for the year. FÁS is currently considering the feasibility of setting up a number of additional schemes, as well as expanding existing schemes in order to absorb the 500 places.

A wide range of client groups is given access to the opportunity CE provides, including lone parents, persons with disabilities, stabilised substance abusers and unemployed persons aged under 55. There are currently 4,914 lone parents and 5,355 people with disabilities participating on CE, while 1,000 places are ring-fenced for the CE drugs task force. The number of places on the drugs task force is kept under constant review.

In delivering these places, FÁS operates flexibly in the management of this allocation in order to maximise progression to the labour market, while at the same time facilitating the support of community services. FÁS continues to welcome proposals from local sponsors to carry out projects, and all proposals are considered within allocated budgets and participant numbers. The provision of places is managed through a standardised application process between regional FÁS offices and local sponsor and community organisations, and any issues regarding the allocation of places are dealt with in this context. However, it should be remembered that in so far as participants remain on CE, they are precluding someone else from benefiting from the programme. FÁS makes every effort to ensure that differing levels of demand between neighbouring schemes are equalised.

FÁS will continue to operate the programme flexibly to ensure the continuation of community projects. Persons who are considered job-ready are progressed through FÁS employment services onto other options, thus freeing up CE places for others in greater need.

The revision of the budget for community employment participant numbers in south Tipperary is necessitated by the fact that FÁS ensures an even distribution of the participant numbers across the south-east region in line with the live register. FÁS has advised that these numbers have been exceeded in south Tipperary as a percentage of the live register for a number of years, this being the measure used for the allocation of places. I am assured that FÁS community services management in the south-east region has consulted with each individual sponsor organisation directly on this process and has agreement that these reductions will be phased in over a period of 12 months.

The Government will continue to support into the future the positive role of FÁS employment schemes in meeting the needs of long-term unemployed persons, while at the same time providing essential services to communities. In this regard, the operation of the schemes will be kept under constant review in the context of the current difficult unemployment situation. I thank the Deputy once again for raising this matter.

Health Services

Deputy Jimmy Deenihan

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this matter on the Adjournment tonight.

The answer to a recent parliamentary question I tabled indicated that during 2008 some 667 people underwent an amputation in hospitals, of whom 338 suffered from diabetes; some 29 of these were from the Kerry and Limerick area. People with diabetes requiring amputations used 12,937 hospital bed days in 2008, of which 10,132 were in publicly funded hospitals. In 2007, the figure was 11,637, of which 11,209 were in publicly funded hospitals. The inpatient costs of the publicly funded health service for these patients was in excess of €7.4 million in 2008 and €7.2 million in 2007. This cost relates to the inpatient stay only and specifically excludes outpatient, emergency department and day-care costs. Neither does it include lifelong social welfare payments, housing renovation costs and so on.

Prior to having an amputation, these people usually spend many months in hospital having treatment for their ulceration. In addition to those requiring amputations, people with diabetes suffering from foot ulcers are also occupying hospitals beds. These ulcers develop as a result of friction and uneven pressure on the foot which leads to minor problems compounded by poor blood supply and nerve dysfunction. Access to a podiatrist would ensure that minor problems were identified early and corrected, thereby preventing major problems later.

There are no diabetes podiatry services in Kerry or Limerick. A podiatry service should be freely available to all people with diabetes. In County Kerry in 2008, 108 required inpatient treatment for foot ulceration. Some 53 of these had diabetes.

Currently, there are no public podiatry services in County Kerry. There are only two full-time podiatrists available through the public health system in Ireland. However, there are 20 students in the Galway podiatry school due to qualify in 2012. They will be first Irish-trained podiatrists but they will not be employed due to the recruitment embargo. There must be a change in this policy.

In an ideal world, County Kerry should have seven new podiatry posts but, at a minimum, two podiatrists — one for north Kerry and one for south Kerry — should be appointed. Research has shown that this would reduce the level of amputations by as much as 70% annually, resulting in huge savings for the Government and the HSE.

County Kerry has been very much neglected as regards services. For example, even in cardiology, a public cardiologist is shared with the Bons Secours Hospital and that is only for four units out of ten units of his time. We have few services in regard to rheumatology, etc., but we have no public podiatry service and that is the reason so many people in County Kerry have amputations and so many of them have major foot problems.

I appeal to the Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, to convey the message that when podiatrists are being appointed that County Kerry is not left out again and that it gets what is essential for the health of the people of county.

Deputy Batt O’Keeffe

I thank Deputy Deenihan for raising what is a very important issue on the Adjournment. I am taking it on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney.

The national diabetes programme was established under the governance of the quality and clinical care directorate of the HSE to progress a national diabetes plan which has five key objectives, namely, to establish a national diabetic retinopathy screening service; to establish a national diabetes register; to progress foot care services nationally; to facilitate integration of diabetic services between primary and secondary care; and to develop strategies to improve diabetic control and risk reduction to prevent diabetic complications. A clinician has recently been appointed to take the lead on the diabetes clinical programme. He is currently engaging with all stakeholders, including the Diabetic Federation of Ireland, clinicians and podiatrists to establish a multi-disciplinary foot care package for diabetic patients.

Chiropodists-podiatrists are specialists in all aspects of foot health and also treat people suffering from the complications of diabetes, such as peripheral vascular disease. The aims of the podiatry service are to maintain mobility and independence in older people through assessment, treatment, education and support in a clinical and home environment; to perform total and partial nail surgery under local anaesthetic to children and young adults presenting with repetitive nail trauma; and the education and assessment and care of diabetic patients to prevent complications of the foot.

Patients requiring podiatry assessment and treatment may be referred from GPs, primary care team members, diabetes services and hospital services. The HSE currently provides a podiatry service to medical card holders. The provision of chiropody-podiatry services varies in different regions in the HSE and can be provided by chiropodists-podiatrists employed directly by the HSE and treatments provided by chiropodists-podiatrists contracted under the CMS scheme. These provide services on a sessional basis for clients eligible under the GMS scheme.

Chiropodists-podiatrists who undertake these sessions are taken from the list of approved chiropodists-podiatrists who have been assessed for eligibility to practise in the public health service. In some areas a service level agreement is entered into with chiropodists-podiatrists for the provision of services to eligible persons. Monitoring arrangements are in place for the execution of these agreements while grant aid is provided to voluntary agencies for the provision of podiatry services under section 39 grant aid.

A number of initiatives have been undertaken recently such as the development of a standardised podiatry assessment tool for diabetic patients. This will enable referring GPs and practice nurses to give the podiatry department an accurate assessment of the status of diabetic patients' foot condition which, in turn, will ensure that the podiatry department can identify and prioritise high risk diabetics and provide timely intervention as required.

In advance of the recent establishment of the national programme, a diabetes services implementation group for HSE south was set up and has been in operation in counties Cork and Kerry for the past two years. Its report on foot care services in both counties is due for presentation in the coming weeks.

The diabetes service at Kerry General Hospital is led by a consultant physician with a special interest in endocrinology who utilises and develops facilities in the area of diabetes. There are three dedicated consultant diabetes clinics held each month at the hospital. In addition to these clinics, the specialist diabetic nurses provide outpatient clinics at Kerry General Hospital and outreach clinics in the community.

Podiatry input is recognised as an essential element in the multi-disciplinary approach required to maintain the health of the diabetic population. Primary care teams, acute hospital services and the regional diabetes services implementation groups are collaboratively working to improve provision and access to podiatry services for people with diabetes. The Minister is assured that Kerry General Hospital and HSE south are committed to providing the best possible quality of care to all diabetic patients within the reasonable resources available.

Flood Relief

Deputy Michael Ring

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter. This is the third or fourth time I have raised this issue on the Adjournment. There is a cost factor to every issue we raise but in this case, the money has been provided by the OPW and the Minister of State, and I compliment him on that. However, there is an ongoing problem between the OPW and the national parks and wildlife service. As I said, the money is in place. The OPW put forward a number of suggestions to the national parks and wildlife service. I believe another report went to the National Parks and Wildlife Service today.

What is going on is wrong. There were very serious floods in December 2006 and in January 2007, people's homes were destroyed and families had to relocate. We are coming into the winter and people are genuinely worried that this flooding problem cannot be resolved.

I am not looking for money or for the OPW to do the work because the money has been provided. Paperwork is holding up this work. It is wrong that the National Parks and Wildlife Service is causing a problem for people living in rural Ireland. It depends on the goodwill of people in rural Ireland and depends on them to protect the environment. Nobody wants to destroy the environment. There is a row between two Departments and I suppose there is an EU directive. There is a Habitats Directive. People's lives, livelihoods and homes are far more important than any habitat. I hope the Minister has good news.

The report will be with the National Parks and Wildlife Service tomorrow morning and I hope it is approved tomorrow evening. I have spoken to the families, the Irish Farmers Association and people in the area. If this issue is not resolved in the next two weeks, we will have a day out in Dublin. The Minister can tell security in the National Parks and Wildlife Service that we will not leave until it makes a decision. This is wrong because these people have been patient and have done their best to try to be nice and honourable about this. I hope the Minister has good news for me.

Deputy Batt O’Keeffe

I thank Deputy Ring for raising what is an important issue in that area. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, shares the Deputy's concern about repeated flooding in the Roundfort-Hollymount area of County Mayo and the need for remedial action.

The area concerned involves two turloughs, which are part of the Kilglassan-Caheravoostia turlough complex special area of conservation. As such, it is protected under the EU Habitats Directive and is part of the EU's Natura 2000 network of protected areas. Turloughs, or lakes which disappear underground for part of the year, are a unique feature of this country and an irreplaceable part of our natural heritage. They are among the most distinctive features of Irish landscapes, and many are of international importance. This complex in Mayo is one of the most important and is host to a wide range of habitats.

Where proposed works would affect Natura 2000 sites, such as in this case, it is obligatory that the procedures adopted, in consideration and implementation of proposals, are in accordance with the directive. Accordingly, an appropriate assessment must be prepared in respect of any proposals for works which would be likely to damage the integrity of the site. This must consider the effects of the proposed works on the protected habitats.

All possible alternative solutions must be thoroughly examined. If works have to go ahead for reasons of over-riding public importance, all necessary avoidance and mitigation measures must be taken. In the case under consideration, it is important that the particular flood alleviation methods proposed by the OPW do not damage the hydrology of the turlough complex, for example, causing reduction in the extent or duration of flooding in the turloughs in normal years when water levels at the site would not be expected to give rise to concerns of over-riding public importance.

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government met with the Office of Public Works in April and again in June 2010 and it was agreed that certain additional design work was required on the proposed flood control structures. I understand the report on this design work was completed last week and that a copy of the report was sent to the Department today. It will be examined as quickly as possible and the Minister is hopeful that our obligations under EU law will have been met. This would allow early progress on commencing the flood mitigation works, although the precise timing is a matter for the OPW.

Employment Support Services

Deputy Michael McGrath

At the outset I want to thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this important matter for the Adjournment. I also thank the Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, for taking this matter this evening. Having represented Cork South Central for many years I am aware he would have a strong affinity with the company, GlaxoSmithKline, GSK, and with many of the employees and the management. I thank him for the personal interest he has shown.

Everyone in Cork was deeply disappointed to learn of the news on Monday that 55 jobs were to be lost at GlaxoSmithKline following the completion of the formal business review and also confirmation that another 66 jobs would be lost following consultation with the trade unions and other employee representatives and after changes to shift patterns and so forth. It is clearly a significant blow for Cork and for the pharmaceutical industry in the area, particularly coming on top of recent job losses by Schering Plough in Brinny and also Pfizer in Ringaskiddy in recent months.

The main purpose in raising this is to urge the Government and the Minister to ensure that the people who are directly affected by Monday's announcement at GlaxoSmithKline are given every possible support by Departments and the relevant State agencies. The company intends to implement an out-placement support service for those who will be made redundant, which I welcome. It is in keeping with the company we are dealing with in GSK and I trust that the work by FÁS and the other State agencies will complement the work the company intends to do to ensure that the people being made redundant will be given the required training and every opportunity to find alternative employment, whether it be in the pharmaceutical sector or any other sector.

The second reason I raise this issue is to call on the IDA to work closely with GSK and the other pharmaceutical companies in the Cork region to maintain the remaining jobs because it is clear there are major challenges. It is important to point out that the announcement by GSK on Monday was not to do with the quality of the employees at the plant, the cost base or anything else. It was directly linked to the continuing decline in product demand globally. These companies are operating in a very competitive environment. There has been a decline in global demand for certain products and they must deal with that. The announcement on Monday was a direct consequence of that but even after that announcement, GSK will still have 340 employees left at the Cork plant and my priority — I know it is also the Minister's — will be to ensure we can retain those jobs and also retain the jobs in Pfizer, Novartis, Centocor and all of the other companies that have invested in the Cork area.

I welcome the statement by GSK on Monday in which the vice president, Finbar Whyte, made it clear that the company is committed to working closely with all employees to ensure we are able to safeguard the future of GSK in Cork. That is a very welcome commitment. Ireland has been particularly successful in attracting all of the major pharmaceutical companies to our economy. We want to maintain that presence and develop it further where possible.

I want to comment briefly on the reference by Commissioner Rehn earlier this week on the issue of the 12.5% corporation tax rate. From my perspective it would be economic suicide for us as a country to increase our corporation tax and I welcome the Government's commitment, following the Commissioner's comments, that such an increase will not be considered because it would do major damage to us as an economy.

While the GSK decision was not directly related to the cost base it is important that we are vigilant on the issue of the cost base for all companies, small and medium enterprises and multinationals. I welcome the various initiatives the Minister has announced to do with cutting down on red tape for businesses but we will have to be increasingly vigilant on the issue of energy costs, waste management costs, labour costs, transport costs and the cost of compliance with health and safety and other regulatory requirements, including the cost of local authority rates, water rates and so on.

It is quite simple. Undoubtedly, there is a direct correlation between our cost base as a country and our ability to attract inward investment. If we can maintain the quality of our workforce and our strong regulatory environment while at the same time reducing costs, we will be successful into the future. I look forward to the comments by the Minister on GSK and the employees.

Deputy Batt O’Keeffe

I thank Deputy Michael McGrath for raising an issue on the Adjournment that is of serious concern to all of us. I want to begin by expressing my regret at the announcement by GlaxoSmithKline of the loss of 121 jobs at its Currabinny facility.

GSK currently employs over 1,500 people in Ireland at its various sites in Cork, Dublin, Dungarvan and Sligo. The current job losses are a result of market conditions resulting in a fall in demand for the drugs GSK manufactures in Cork. I am aware that the IDA consistently engages with the company at both local and corporate level in an effort to secure further new investment to maintain and increase the company's base in Ireland. I met representatives of the company last week.

I am acutely aware of the impact of the job losses on employees and their families and share the concern outlined by Deputy McGrath. I have asked the State development agencies to make their full resources and services available to the employees affected by the company's decision. FÁS Employment Services Management, south west region, will meet with management and staff representatives at GSK to formulate a plan of action to deliver FÁS services and supports to the staff being made redundant in 2010 and 2011. The Cork county enterprise boards, together with Enterprise Ireland, will provide a range of supports and services to anyone wishing to start their own business.

Cork has been particularly successful in attracting foreign direct investment over the years. In the past ten years direct employment in IDA supported companies in Cork city and county has grown from just under 16,000 in 1999 to 20,000 now. In 2009, foreign direct investment, FDI, decreased globally by 30% and the average scale of investment was smaller than in previous years. Despite these trends, since 2009 the IDA has announced nine projects for Cork, with a job potential of approximately 1,070.

The strategic challenge now facing IDA Ireland is to be proactive in identifying future FDI trends and the associated employment opportunities. Every year, an average of between 7% and 8% of jobs within the IDA Ireland portfolio are lost as part of the normal business life-cycle. The reasons for this include competitiveness, market downturn, global economic trends and business model restructuring, particularly as a result of merger and acquisition activity. I assure Deputy McGrath that my priority is to ensure that the business environment is supportive of Irish enterprise and export growth and that we attract high value foreign investment. By selling on international markets, we will create jobs and prosperity at home. While it is clear that we are operating in a difficult economic environment, there are still investment opportunities in global markets and IDA Ireland will continue to compete vigorously for projects for Ireland. I am to accompany IDA Ireland on a visit to North America over the next number of weeks.

In addition, since 2008, Enterprise Ireland has approved approximately €50 million to client companies in Cork city and county. Enterprise Ireland has a client base of over 700 companies in County Cork, employing approximately 18,000 people. I again assure the Deputy that the State development agencies will provide every possible support they can to GlaxoSmithKline employees affected by the company's decision.

The Dáil adjourned at 9.45 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 7 October 2010.