This article is from page 34 of the 2007-04-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 34 JPG
A KILRUSH town councillor has called for the embargo on recruit- ment under the FAS Job Initiative Scheme to be lifted.
Councillor Tom Clyne (Ind) said that 15 people in Kilrush, who are employed under the scheme, have grave concerns regarding the future of the project.
The programme provides full-time employment for people over 35, who are unemployed for five years or more, and in receipt of social welfare payments over that period.
The main purpose of the pro- gramme is to assist long-term un-
employed people, in preparation for work opportunities, through train- ing.
Basic work carried out under the scheme includes grass cutting, stone building, litter gathering, flower pot- ting and bedding and painting.
“We recently lost two employees from the scheme and now the viabil- ity of the scheme is a great concern to the employees who remain on it. If it is the Government’s plan to phase out this scheme, it will have a knock- on effect on the extended families of the 15 people who stand to lose their jobs,” said Cllr Clyne.
“Over a long number of years, Kilrush has encountered social and
economic decline in the form of population loss and erosion of its in- dustrial and service base. Kilrush is now suffering from considerable so- cial disadvantage in the form of high unemployment,’ he added.
He pointed out that despite these negatives, the town is progressive, mainly due to the input from FAS over the past number of years.
“It still has considerable poten- tial to develop through the people employed on the Job Initiative Pro- eae 00000 ComMmN OLomnCT-BLOD
“IT am asking you as a council for help and support to change the proc- ess regarding the recruitment under the FAS scheme,” added the council-
oe
Councillor Tom Prendeville (FF) endorsed this fellow councillor’s motion.
“FAS have been very good over the years, with the Tidy Towns, the Walled Garden and the maintenance of local cemeteries etc,” he said.
“FAS stood by the Council and the people of Kilrush in the very dark days. The hand of FAS is every- where. We wouldn’t have the Vande- leur Walled Garden, were it not for FAS,” he said.
He proposed that a copy of Cllr Clyne’s motion be sent to all County Councillors, along with Junior Min- ister Tony Killeen.