INOU unconvinced by Programme for Government

The Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed today said it would continue its campaign to have "swingeing cuts to Community Employment projects halted and reversed".

This is despite the organisation saying that there is much to be welcomed in the Programme for Government agreed by Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats.

"There are many new measures to combat unemployment in the Programme for Government," said INOU General Secretary Mr Eric Conroy. "We particularly welcome the two parties’ commitment that they ‘support the positive role of the Community Employment Scheme to meet the needs of both the long-term unemployed and communities’.

"But if this support is genuine, why are the Government already cutting CE participation to 25,000 places, well below the 28,000 minimum agreed in the PPF, without having any new alternative to CE in place for those making the move from welfare to work?" asked Mr Conroy.

Tomorrow, the INOU will take part in a protest rally outside Dáil Éireann calling for 'Consultation not Cuts'.

Mr Conroy said that the INOU will maintain its campaign until the new government agrees to its three demands:

• Funding for 28,000 CE places until 2003;

• A halt to cuts, recruitment freezes and postponements being imposed of CE projects; and

• A commitment that no action will be taken to reduce CE funding below the 28,000 level without agreement with the Social Partners.