68. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he is aware of the growing difficulties faced by community and voluntary organisations across County Tipperary in maintaining essential services due to the chronic inability to fill vacancies in publicly supported non-profit, voluntary and community organisations; the urgent measures being taken to ensure the sustainability of these vital community services; the measures he can implement to support community organisations who cannot fill vacancies where communities risk losing vital services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26462/25]

Sentiment score: 0.20

I ask the Minister about community employment, CE, schemes and the fact that it is now almost impossible to retain participants on them. I am chair of a scheme. I know it is not totally the Minister's remit, but it has a huge impact on rural organisations, rural communities and their viability and sustainability. Will the Minister make a statement on the matter?

Sentiment score: 0.12

I thank the Minister. I know he is hands on. He understands it because he is from a rural community. There is just an impossible strain on the voluntary boards that are trying to fill these positions, trying to get the work done and keeping the whole plethora of areas going. Schemes such as rural transport services, meals on wheels, day care, community centres and Tidy Towns groups are under enormous strain. While many of the groups receive State support, that is no good if they do not have the workers. The scheme needs to be tweaked. Some years ago, people were allowed, if they had done three years and were a certain age, to carry on their work until retirement age. That needs to be looked at again. That was allowed. We are told we nearly have full employment and it is hard to get participants. The people on our CE scheme work with the supervisor Seán Byrne over three villages, Ballymacarbry, Newcastle and Ballybacon, that straddle two counties. It brings things together as well. Tipperary might have been on the hurling field last week against Waterford but we work together with a ní neart go cur le chéile attitude and that is the way it is. I compliment all the participants on all the schemes throughout Tipperary and everywhere else. They do a meaningful job and they do not get much reward at times. They get little remuneration, but they do excellent work.

Sentiment score: 0.16

I acknowledge the work they do. A man on the volunteer boards went to places in Tipperary like Knockanrawley FRC, Millennium FRC in Glengoole and of course Spafield FRC in Cashel. Recent data have shown there are 106 vacancies now across the schemes in Tipperary. It is difficult at this time of year to cover everything, including Tidy Towns, the GAA, community groups and all the other issues, such as meals on wheels and community centres. We just do not have enough staff. I thank the officials we deal with in the Department who help us out and have given us rollover extensions to keep the schemes alive because we cannot get the participants. The participants are needed so the criteria must be made easier to meet. We are especially looking for people on the schemes who are in their late 50s to be allowed to stay on them until they retire, because there is little possibility of them retraining and going back to work. Our scheme has been successful in progression. That is part of our problem because we have put people back to work as self-employed and into jobs. It has been great because it benefits the participants and the community. I appreciate that the Minister is trying to tweak it and that he will do so. I look forward to a positive outcome where our schemes continue to do the valuable work they are doing in Tipperary.

Sentiment score: 0.26