17/01/2012

ICTU Meets Burton To Discuss CE 'Crisis'

Members of the congress of trade unions are to meet with the Minister for Social Protection to discuss the "developing crisis" in the Community Sector.

A delegation from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions will meet with the Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, at 4.00pm on Tuesday in Dáil Eireann to discuss the developing crisis in the Community Sector and the government’s proposed review of Community Employment (CE) schemes funding.

The Congress delegation will be led by ICTU General Secretary, David Begg, and will include Siptu General President, Jack O’Connor, and Impact national secretary Matt Staunton.

ICTU Community Sector Committee chairman, David Connolly, and Chairman of the Siptu CE Supervisors Union Committee, Seamus Briscoe, will also be among those attending the talks.

David Connolly said; “This meeting follows a campaign by trade unionists to highlight the severe adverse impact communities will suffer if the proposed cut-backs to the funding of CE schemes funding in the recent budget are not reversed.”

The ICTU said its delegation will be advising Minister Burton that the full funds necessary to cover CE schemes existing overheads should be made available in order to curtail an immediate crisis which has led to some essential projects ceasing operation.

"All training programmes should also be maintained until the conclusion of the Government’s review of the CE sector which is to be completed within three months.”

(DW)

Related Irish News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

02 March 2012
Burton Confirms Money Is Available To Protect CE Schemes
The Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton has confirmed to Fianna Fáil’s Barry Cowen that the money is available within her department to protect Community Employment Schemes. Therefore, any cuts to CE schemes following the Minister's 'review' will be purely a political decision.
16 January 2014
Environment Minister Estimates Storm Damage Repair Bill
The cost of repairs to roads, piers and harbours damaged by the recent severe weather has been estimated at €65m, the Government has announced. Environment Minister Phil Hogan unveiled the first estimated cost of repair at the Dáil on Thursday, adding that the worst affected areas were counties Clare and Galway.
30 September 2009
Thousands March In Daíl Protest
Some 5,000 protestors are marched to the Daíl today, in protest against proposed cuts to the community sector. Community activists, workers and employers in the sector set off from Parnell Square at 1pm today and gathered outside the Dáil.
09 October 2009
Public Pay Is 26% Higher Than Private
The Economic and Social Research Institute claims there is a pay gap between workers in the public and private sector approaching 26%. The figures coincide with rumblings from the Government that Public Sector pay will be cut in December's Budget.
06 July 2016
Call For Students To Submit Grant Funding Applications As Deadline Nears
Students are being urged to submit their grant funding applications before the deadline on Friday, 08 July. Fine Gael Senator, Jerry Buttimer, confirmed the SUSI has received 70,000 applications for the 2016/2017 academic year. He said: "SUSI are expecting to receive about 110,000 applications for the 2016/2017 academic year.