‘People who make the decision don’t know rural Ireland’

IN the North Kerry area, Lixabbey Community Group Limited is losing 11 of its 24 CE employees, from 16 different groups, as they are no longer eligible – leading to mounting fears about ab the future of services like Meals on Wheels, Laundry Services vi and local maintenance in Lixnaw, Abbeydorney, Kilflynn and an Ballyduff.

“We deliver 70-80 meals a day. Our delivery driver and chef ch are gone. Three people are gone go from our laundry services. The people making the decision don’t have a clue what happens in rural Ireland,” said CE supervisor, vi Paul O’Donoghue.

“These CE employees worked through th dangerous conditions and an now we have to tell them that th they have to go and go back on the live register... Their term is done.”

He said that the Government continuously co changes the rules and an they do not fit each area. “It is a crazy situation.” Mr O’Donoghue said that the work w being done by CE schemes is often unnoticed but they are the backbone of the community and the lack of CE employees will have a widespread effect across the county in every single town and village.

“I have been 27 years as a CE supervisor and people do not realise the work these schemes do. Graveyards will be overgrown, villages in terrible conditions, GAA pitches not cut, as without CE employees nobody will be maintaining the areas.”

Like his counterparts, Paul is calling for change to the eligibility criteria. He is calling on the Government to change the base year to 2018 or 2019 to have a pool of workers. He says the problem is also exacerbated by the fact that only 10 per cent of people on any scheme can be aged over 62.

“We would have people in this age bracket but they can’t come on the scheme because we have the 10 per cent.”

Meanwhile, in nearby Listowel, a further 12 CE employees are no longer eligible in 2021. Two vacancies are already available, so 14 new CE workers are needed.

“If they changed the eligibility year from 2007 to 2019 it would change it. All the people we have now are no longer eligible because they have completed their term [since 2007] those who have completed their three years or six years can’t come back so we need to wipe the slate clean and start at 2019,” says CE Supervisor Stephen Keane

“The Government doesn’t take on board the effect these rules have on communities. The rules and regulations are made in Dublin.”

“They [The Government] and the community will know when the work is not done as happened in lock-down when work was halted.”

The loss of CE employees in the Listowel region will have a widespread effect on all community services including those for the elderly like Meals on Wheels, maintenance of the town and disability services.