I last week met with representatives of CE Supervisors and Community groups who presented to the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development.

Members of the Committee heard of the huge increase in unnecessary paperwork, duplication of paperwork and the difficulties in getting referrals from the Department of Social Protection to full vacant places.

“I have come to the conclusion that the policy unit within the Department of Social Protection have lost touch with reality and are dreaming up ways of creating forms, reports and very little in providing the assistance necessary for the job activation scheme to be effective.

The value of the Scheme to communities is enormous but the voluntary local community groups are now being tasked with enormous responsibility which is not fair on these voluntary community groups.

It is time that the Department re-calibrate their thinking and ensure that the participants, the supervisors, and the Community groups are treated as one team one team working with the Department to deliver an effective scheme.

Photo details L to R.
Conor Mahon CE Supervisor Oranmore, Sean Canney TD, Michelle Rohan CE Supervisor Claregalway and Gabriel Kearney Claregalway Community Group.