Laois CE Scheme’s likened to slave labour
“They are getting just over €1 an hour,” council meeting told
Community Employment Schemes were likened to “slave labour” at a recent council meeting in Laois.
The issue arose when Fianna Fáil Cllr Paschal McEvoy enquired about getting grass cut on the Green in Timahoe.
He tabled a motion asking “that this Council take over the Grass Cutting at The Green in Timahoe from January 2025. The current Scheme finishes in January.”
“The Green has to be cut, it is a big area,” Cllr McEvoy told a meeting of Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District.
“It would be a shame to let it go to rack and ruin,” he said.
Senior Executive Engineer, Philip McVeigh said “Laois County Council will liaise with the local Community Employment Scheme as well as the Timahoe Village Group to explore whether they are in a position to carry out this work.”
Independent Cllr Ben Brennan said the situation was “ridiculous” and explained that he was a supervisor with a CE Scheme.
He said he had received a letter from the Department of Social Protection saying they are cutting back the scheme.
“They haven’t the people because there is noone unemployed at the moment,” said Cllr Brennan.
“As far as I can see they are trying to phase out the community employment schemes,” he said.
He said many people are on the schemes because they want to do something helpful in their community but they are only getting €27 a week for 20 hours.
“I think the Social Welfare may step up now because it is not only Timahoe that will suffer,” said Cllr Brennan.
Independent Cllr Aidan Mullins noted “they are getting just over €1 an hour” and said, “it is no wonder you can’t get people.”
Cllr Brennan said “that is slave labour, that is what that is.”