Donegal TD urges Government to move on long-awaited ex gratia payments for CE workers

The Government has been urged to move on the ex-gratia payments promised to Community Employment workers almost a year ago.

Addressing the Dáil on Wednesday, Donegal TD Thomas Pringle said he had raised the issue many times throughout the year.

Deputy Pringle said: “I am very glad to see that Section 12 of this Bill provides for this payment, at last. I would be very grateful if the Minister could let us know in her response when she expects this to be paid out. Will it be paid out before Christmas? Or will it be in the new year? Because the ex Community Employment people are waiting hard for it.”

The deputy was speaking on the Social Welfare Bill 2022.

He said: “I welcome Section 17 also, which exempts the ex gratia payment for CE supervisors and assistant supervisors from income tax, given that they have been waiting on this payment for so long.”

However, deputy Pringle said he was very disappointed to see that the bill does not mention community welfare officers or the situation they face.

Deputy Pringle said: “Again, I recently raised this issue in the chamber. Community welfare officers are under severe pressure at the minute, especially in my constituency of Donegal where community welfare officers are stretched thin. 

“There has been a significant increase in exceptional needs applications due to the cost-of-living crisis, the energy crisis, and as well the housing crisis we are currently experiencing. The work of community welfare officers has doubled, if not tripled, and there has been no increases in resources or supports.”

He said: “I acknowledge that the Minister has made some changes regarding the means test for fuel allowance, following the debate on last year’s Social Welfare Bill. I commend her for that, and I urge her to take on board the contributions to this debate and address the increased demands community welfare officers are currently facing, as soon as possible.”

Noting that there appears to be a move to pull back to an online system, Deputy Pringle said: “We need more community welfare officers, our community welfare officers need increased support, and we need to ensure that CWOs are available and accessible to the general public as well.

“I cannot overstate the importance of this and the importance of their role in our communities,” he said.