Mayo community schemes 'face difficulties attracting workers'

A Mayo TD has praised the work carried out throughout the county by community employment schemes, the rural social scheme and the Tús scheme.

But Deputy Paul Lawless said an issue consistently raised with him is that it is particularly difficult to get individuals onto the schemes.

He elaborated: "We are in an economy of full employment, which must be mentioned as a factor.

"However, there is a significant issue also in terms of the money. The threshold needs to be increased because it is simply not enough to ensure these schemes are viable.

"People on the RSS, Tús and CE schemes do tremendous work. They are the people preparing meals on wheels, cleaning our graveyards and cleaning the streets.

"It is really important work but we are not offering them enough to stay on those schemes.

"I spoke recently to a man who is on one of the schemes and was doing great work in the local cemetery.

"However, notwithstanding the additional money for being on the scheme, he was losing money by the time he drove to the different locations where he is required to work. That needs to be addressed.

"In Ballindine, the Meals on Wheels service had to close recently, one of the reasons being manpower issues.

"The fundamental factor was that the service could not find individuals to recruit onto the schemes.

"And when wage increases happen, when there are improvements to employment and so on, the social enterprises do not receive additional funding from central government. That places significant pressure on them and it needs to be addressed.

"These organisations are doing tremendous work and they must be protected and supported. We cannot afford to lose the wonderful organisations that are the glue in our communities."