This article is from page 1 of the 2011-12-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 1 JPG
NEARLY 600 people in Clare face the prospect of a return to the dole queues in the coming months as the future of Community Employment Schemes around the county are left hanging in the balance this week. The Clare People has learned that 560 people in Clare are directly dependent on the Community Employment Schemes for work, while FÁS have confirmed that the jobs programme provides jobs and training opportunities “in every corner of Clare”. Last week’s Budget took the unprecedented decision to abolish the FÁS operated jobs support scheme and while they have been since given a temporary stay of execution, fears have been expressed locally that the county’s 32 schemes will begin the process of winding down operations over the next few months.
“This is an anti-rural Ireland measure, it just gets worse” blasted Mayor of Clare, Pat Hayes.
“Communities in rural Clare depend on the Community Employment Schemes to help them survive. They are the only light in some communities. The programme as we know it is gone because the payment per worker has been reduced from € 1500 to € 500,” he added. “These schemes go into every part of Clare,” a FÁS spokesperson told