Demand for services of WLD is up, its boss tells Ross councillors
THERE has been an increased demand on Wexford Local Development ( WLD) services from communities across the district.
Wexford Local Development CEO Brian Kehoe gave a presentation to councillors outlining the many services the body provides, from working with CE schemes and Tus workers to providing transport for people to courses.
Mr Kehoe, pictured below, said the services help people who ‘ don’t have the life opportunities that a lot of us here have had.’ ‘Some are living in a disadvantaged area where there is very little community engagement.’
Wexford Local Development received €6m in funding in 2017, half of which came from the Department of Social Protection, with one third coming from Wexford County Council. Its staff engage with people on a voluntary basis. ‘We have dedicated staff and commercial development staff in rural areas where people can’t access transport. We offer transport and we offer counselling through the Cornmarket Project. We are finding in other programmes that counselling is a skill we increasingly need.’
Mr Kehoe said there is a voluntary information service in the New Ross area, adding that the business survival rate in the county is relatively good. He said a child and family initiative was spearheaded by Fr Odhran Furlong in the late 1990s which has provided great support to local residents.
Around 150 TUS and Rural Community Scheme participants were placed with local community organisations in 2017 through Wexford Local Development and several hundred people were supported through thousands of one-to-one and group based interventions in the district. Also several hundred youths engaged in local learning and personal development courses in their own New Ross communities.
Across the county 180 participants progressed from the live registrar to self-employment having completed community employment work. Mr Kehoe said: ‘We have a lot of Tus workers in the New Ross area. They have worked on projects in Lacken Hill, St Mullins and on the Tintern Trails project and some of the people on this really good project got a taste for carpentry and went on to study the craft.’
Cllr Michael Whelan asked if Wexford Local Development workers were funding it harder to fill positions on Tus schemes. He was told the number of Tus job roles has fallen from 340 to just over 300 due to the drop off in the number of people on the live registrar.
‘We have some people who refused but you have a stick and the carrot is that there is a work placement opportunity in your own community. There are still a lot of people who are available to work as far as we are concerned as they are on the live registrar. Wexford Local Development Project Manager Claire Ryan said: ‘We try to incorporate an element of training in every programme.’ Cllr Anthony Connick said the application process for Leader funding needs to be looked at. Describing the volume of paperwork required to be filled out as ‘ an absolute joke’, Cllr Connick said there are too many rules and regulations involved.
He said the paperwork would discourage community groups from putting forward applications.
Mr Kehoe said €1.7m in funding support has been allocated so far this year through Leader, split between community and enterprise initiatives.
On the issue of lengthy paperwork, Mr Kehoe said: ‘ We have been moaning and groaning about this. With EU programmes the paperwork is a lot less. If you have a funding application for €5,000 to €10,000 don’t as it will kill you.’
He said a nine month turnaround for an enterprise project is ‘crazy’.
Cllr Michael Sheehan said drug use is a major issue in the district. ‘I know the Cornmarket Project is only starting off. There is a huge issue concerning all sorts of drugs at all levels out in our communities. We need community leadership programmes for different areas.’
Mr Kehoe said WLD has been dealing with people who have been referred to it by GPs and the HSE with substance misuse problems.
Cllr Willie Fitzharris questioned why the CE programmes are limited to one year. ‘If you get a CE worker for 12 months they do take on the role, but volunteers can only do so much. The CE worker then has to go back into the black hole of the employment market.’
He said more work needs to be made available to people who are turning the retirement age.
Mr Kehoe said: ‘We all know that progression rates from CE and Tus schemes also are low. We have to look at the benefit to the community.’
He said Wexford Local Development is trying to extend people’s duration on CE schemes. THE MUNICIPAL council has been sent letters by the Irish Road Haulage Association and Nolan Transport complimenting it on working to get a new roundabout at Marshmeadows.
Construction was completed on the €1.5m Oaklands roundabout in June and it has been fully open for the past month.
District manager Sinead Casey said: ‘Congratulations to all involved for returning the project on time and to such a high standard.’
Cllr Martin Murphy congratulated district director Eamonn Hore and senior executive engineer Abraham Dunne on their efforts in getting the funding.
‘I think it was a long time coming but it is an example of what can be done and I believe it’s a tremendous asset. There were long queues in the past and hopefully that has ended.’