This new scheme gives participants a higher weekly payment (€210 for 19.5 hours),  allows them the opportunity of taking up work while avoiding the necessity of a means test, improves their own community, whilst at the same time it will combat welfare fraud and partipation in the black market.

Minister Ó Cuív was absolutely correct when he stated  “maintaining people’s  employability through  regular work activity will be important for getting people back into the competitive economy” as the vast majority of people have an innate desire to be useful. This scheme will counter the scarring effects of long term unemployment which make it harder to become reemployed the longer a person is out of work, but also once reemployed, people who have been out of work for long periods of time tend to perform less well than their peers.

Giving people back a sense of worth whilst at the same time countering fraud is a win-win situation.

Our experience in Wicklow earlier this year, during the severe weather, showed the clear need for community workers to assist their neighbours.

The changes are being implemented as part of the expansion and development of the Community Services Programme and the Rural Social Scheme. It is expected that the changes will involve up to 10,000 new participants this year, rising to 40,000 over the course of two years.