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SIPTU calls on FAS to withdraw directive on Community Employment grants

January 1st, 2012

Date Released: 22 December 2011

SIPTU has sought a meeting with the Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, to discuss a Directive issued by FAS Community Services Unit in relation to its Materials and Training Budget for 2012. The Directive states that FAS will impose a proposed cut of 66% in materials and training grants for community employment schemes from January next.

This is despite recent commitments given to SIPTU President, Jack O’Connor by the Tánaiste, Eamon Gilmore, and Joan Burton that a review of CE schemes to establish their viability will be carried out before any further developments as the result of cuts announced in the December Budget.

SIPTU Sector Organiser, Eddie Mullins, said that FAS must be completely unaware of the commitments given to Jack O’Connor by the two ministers.

In separate letters to Jack O’Connor earlier this month, the Labour Party ministers stated that “community employment schemes provide a very important and valued contribution to social employment training and progression for unemployed people.” They said that no CE scheme will closed pending a review of their viability.

“The purpose of the review will be to establish the on-going viability of each scheme in the context of the overall objectives of the CE programme and recognising in particular the community and social value of each scheme,” the ministers wrote.

“In the event that the reduction in the training and material grant announced in the Budget creates financial difficulties for schemes that would otherwise be viable, the Department of Social Protection will be in a position to fund such schemes from the overall Departmental Budget,” they wrote.

Eddie Mullins said; “In the context of these commitments the officials within the FAS Community Services Unit should immediately withdraw the Directive and allow the review to take place as promised.”

http://www.siptu.ie/media/pressreleases2011/othernews/fullstory,15298,en.html

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Suicide warning over some anti-depressants

December 24th, 2011

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By Jennifer Hough (Irish Examiner)

Saturday, December 24, 2011

THE Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) has written to the Medical Council, requesting thatpatients are informed that certain anti-depressants can cause suicidal thoughts as a potential side effect.

The IHRC is also urging ongoing supervision when the drugs are prescribed. The anti-depressants are known are SSRIs, and popular brands include Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro Paxil and Celexa.

The move came after a request to the IHRC for an inquiry into the prescribing of such drugs from the mother of 22-year-old Shane Clancy, who took his own life after fatally stabbing another man a month after he began taking anti-depressants.

Leonie Fennell believes her son had a serious adverse reaction to citalopram, as it was found he had high levels of the tablets in his system.

An expert witness at his inquest, Dr David Healy, the professor of psychiatry at Cardiff University in Wales, told the court that behaviour such as suicidal or violent thoughts or actions, seen in some patients prescribed SSRIs, arose from the drugs and not from the patient’s condition.

Such extreme side effects are rare, but there is evidence that in a minority of cases, SSRIs can cause a person’s behaviour to change dramatically.

This week, the IHRC wrote to the Medical Council asking that patients be informed and closely monitored.

It also suggested that the consistency of care of someone presenting with symptoms of depression would be served by ensuring the following matters are expressly required to be explored and addressed by the medical practitioner with their patient:

* Discussion of alternate therapies.

* Referrals for counselling/ psychiatric review.

* Within medical practices, seek to ensure the same doctor deals with the person at all stages if at all possible.

* Oral explanation of risks/ side effects of SSRIs in advance of prescription, together with relevant written information.

* Guidelines regarding prescribing SSRIs from initial stage through ongoing treatment.

* Level of monitoring and ongoing supervision required when SSRIs are initially prescribed.

* Maintenance of adequate consultation notes.

* The necessity to obtain a full patient history before prescribing SSRIs.

Ms Fennell said she was happy the IHRC seemed to be taking the issue seriously.
“Finally somebody is taking us seriously and asking for changes to be implemented in the way SSRIs are being prescribed by medical professionals in Ireland,” she said.

In 2004, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a public warning about an increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviour in children and adolescents treated with SSRIs.

In 2006, the warning was extended to include adults up to the age 25.

Read more: http://www.examiner.ie/ireland/health/suicide-warning-over-some-anti-depressants-178243.html#ixzz1hRm8uxGU

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Letter to community employment participants

December 22nd, 2011

Dear Community Employment Participant,

As you are aware Joan Burton Minister for social protection announced a 66% cut to the materials and training budgets of all Community Employment Schemes.  Following pressure from community groups, labour back benchers and constituents she was forced to back down and call for a review of Community Employment, and pending the outcome of this review no cut backs would take place and no scheme would be threatened by closure.  However today I recieved a letter from FAS informing us that they have decided to go a head and implement the cuts prior to the review.

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This is another blatant sign that this Government is as arrogant as the last one and does not have the leadership or the capacity to lead us out of this crisis.  I accept that there needs to be a review of community employment.  I accept that I may have to pay more taxes.  I accept that I will have to work even longer hours to achieve better client outcomes for every euro that this state provides.  But what I don’t accept is the unfairness of this budget and the arrogance of this Government to make the the most vulnerable in society pay for the crimes of the previous administration.  We want a fairer society.  This government is widening the divide between the haves and the have nots.  Our service Sankalpa is a special CE scheme working with recovering drug users from Finglas and Cabra.  CE schemes form part of the national drug strategy in trying to bring about rehabilitation for people on methadone who want an opportunity to give something back to society, who want to learn to read and write, form better relationships with their community and family, who want to create hope for the future of their communities in places like Finglas and Cabra, where the new leaders are gang members, where suicide is too common and where we are being abandoned by so called Government Socialist TD’s in John Lyons, Roisin Shortall and Joe Costello.

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I was disappointed last night when listening to President Higgins Christmas message that he too put economic recovery ahead of creating a better society.  We will never have a fair society if we prioritize economics over community.  If we build communities we will be a  stronger nation and we will recovery more quickly and sustain that recovery into future generations.  If we sacrifice our vulnerable in an attempt to balance the books, we also sacrifice the republic our founding fathers died to create.

Regards

–
Dr. Tom O Brien
Manager

Sankalpa

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Revealed: the senior ministers in teacher pensions outrage

December 22nd, 2011

Fiach Kelly Political Correspondent Irish Independent, Thursday 22nd December 2011

THREE cabinet ministers responsible for introducing savage cuts in the Budget are holding on to their right to a teacher’s pension when they leave office.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan, Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin and Social Protection Minister Joan Burton last night refused to say if they would give up pension entitlements built up during teaching careers.

All will receive generous ‘Rolls-Royce’ political pensions worth almost €100,000 and funded by the taxpayer after they retire from politics.

But the three frontline ministers are also entitled to teaching pensions, which the taxpayer is also paying towards.

Last night, they declined to say if they would give up their rights to these additional pensions, despite a decision by Taoiseach Enda Kenny to give up a teaching pension from his time in the classroom.

Mr Howlin and Ms Burton could not give details of what their education pensions are worth. Mr Noonan is entitled to a pension of €10,000 a year from his time as a teacher.

The revelations come after Mr Howlin cut pension payments to ministers — and amid controversy over Budget cuts to disadvantaged schools.

Mr Kenny completely gave up his entitlement to an estimated €30,000-a-year teaching pension and a retirement lump sum worth as much as €100,000 during the general election.

He worked as a teacher for just four years before being elected to the Dail in 1975, but continued paying into his pension fund for almost 30 years.

At the time he gave it up, Mr Kenny said: “I will not be accepting any pension from teaching and I hope those who are, and those (who) at 50 years of age run away from Dail Eireann on pensions of €100,000 for the rest of their lives think about what they are doing.”

Waived

Mr Howlin still hasn’t officially waived his right to a pension from his teaching years, despite saying he has no intention of drawing it.

Mr Noonan has officially given his annual teacher’s pension of around €10,000 a year back to the State for the duration of his time in Cabinet.

However, his spokesman could not say if Mr Noonan will reclaim this entitlement to a teaching pension once he steps down as a minister and TD.

Mr Howlin, who was a teacher for nine years before resigning his position, has not yet drawn his pension or teaching lump sum.

He refused to say how long he had paid into his teaching pension, and how long he had done so while sitting as a TD.

When asked on at least five occasions by this newspaper if he had formally given his pension entitlement up, Mr Howlin’s spokeswoman said the “issue does not arise”.

“The position remains as was stated by Mr Howlin before the election, he has not drawn down any pension or lump sum from being a teacher and does not intend to draw one down.”

In order to gift their pensions back to the public purse, teacher TDs have to formally write to the Department of Education asking to hand it back.

One of Mr Howlin’s Labour Party colleagues, new junior minister Joe Costello, has gifted his teaching pension back to the State. So has Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin — but he may also draw a teaching pension when he leaves the Dail.

When asked about his pension before the election, Mr Howlin said: “I don’t think it’s right that someone should accrue a second pension while they’re also accruing a single pension,” he said. “I would have no problem with it being legislatively abolished.”

Lecturer

Ms Burton is also entitled to a lecturer’s pension when she leaves the Oireachtas. She took a leave of absence from her post as senior lecturer in accounting at the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) between 2002 and 2011 to take up her Dail seat.

“She accumulated no additional pension rights in that time,” a spokeswoman for Ms Burton said.

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Fears for Northside CE schemes

December 20th, 2011

By Aoibhinn Twomey

DRUG rehabilitation centre and a vital meals on wheels service that caters for 800 people a week are just two of the Northside services that are in danger of closing if cuts to Community Employment (CE) schemes are introduced.

Uncertainty now surrounds the future of at least 20 CE schemes in Dublin following the announcement of cuts to grants for training and materials needed by participants.

The proposed 66 per cent cut means the funding of a training and materials grant for each CE participant has been slashed from €1,500 to €500.

Dr Tom O’Brien, manager of Sankalpa drug rehabilitation service in Finglas, is just one of those who would be dramatically affected by the cuts.

Sankalpa is categorised as a ‘special CE scheme’, which means that the role of the 18 participants is not to work but to engage in drug rehabilitation so that they can get their feet back on the ground.

“The social welfare budget has been slashed and it seems that certain sectors such as the CE schemes will be targeted as part of the cuts,” he told Northside People.

“We are already dealing with a cut from the HSE of five per cent each year and now it seems the €30,000 grant we get from FAS will be cut to €10,000.

“It simply won’t be sustainable for us to be able to continue to provide this vital service with such limited resources.”

The meals on wheels service in Finglas, which was established almost 20 years ago, is also in danger of closing according to its founder, Bernie Donnelly.

“If implemented, the cut will mean that two thirds of our funding will be gone,” she explained.

“It won’t be possible for us to continue the service which now caters for 800 people per week.”

The service is heavily reliant on the work of 27 CE workers, a further four who are employed full-time and two CE supervisors.

A devastated Ms Donnelly explained how the loss of jobs and the loss of the service would have a serious knock-on effect in regards to hospital overcrowding.

“The provision and the availability of our meals on wheels forms an essential part of the discharge plan for elderly patients who may be in hospital or in nursing homes recovering from surgery,” she stated.

“If there’s no service to provide them with food when they return home then the hospital will have no other choice but to keep them in hospital until they are fully mobile and able to fend for themselves.

“That in turn will mean fewer hospital beds for those who really need them.”

In correspondence seen by Northside People and sent to Dr Tom O’Brien, Minister Burton confirmed that a review of CE schemes would be carried out and that financial assistance would be provided in the event that some CE schemes are in difficulty as a result of the cuts.

“Community Employment schemes provide a very important and valued contribution to social employment, training and progression for unemployed people,” Minister Burton wrote.

“As part of the entry of FAS into my Department on January 1 2012, I have directed that a review of CE schemes will commence immediately.

“No Community Employment scheme will close pending the outcome of this review.

“The purpose of the review will be to establish the ongoing viability of each scheme in the context of the overall CE program and recognising in particular the community and social value of each CE scheme.

“In the event [that] a reduction in the training and material grant announced in the budget creates financial difficulties for schemes that would otherwise be viable, my department will be in a position to fund such schemes from within the overall department budget.”

Northside People (December 2011)

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Questions to Minister Joan Burton (Labour) on the cuts to Community Employment Schemes

December 19th, 2011

Micheál Martin (Leader of the Opposition; Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Question 168: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the way she will help a project (details supplied) fund their ongoing operations following the cuts in material grants announced in budget 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40391/11]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

Question 180: To ask the Minister for Social Protection following her budgetary decision to cut a community employment scheme (details supplied) in Dublin from €24,000 to €12,600 the measures she will put in place to protect the schemes current service provision of the delivery of 400 meals a week to the elderly noting that a similar scheme in Finglas is now to close as a result of the CE budget cuts resulting in the loss of 600 meals per week to elderly in the community. [40477/11]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)

Question 186: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the steps she will take to protect individual community employment schemes in view of cuts announced in budget 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40572/11]

Joan Burton (Minister, Department of Social Protection; Dublin West, Labour)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 168, 180 and 186 together.

Due to the current economic circumstances and the need for the Department of Social Protection to find savings of €475 million in Budget 2012, it was necessary to examine all aspects of the Department’s expenditure. We are planning savings of €27.5m which represents a reduction of 7.5% in the total 2011 Community Employment Budget of €360m.

The Government is fully committed to the protection and development of community and social employment initiatives.

Community Employment schemes provide a very important and valued contribution to social employment, training and progression for unemployed people. Furthermore, many Community Employment schemes provide vital community services right across the country.

As part of the integration of the employment services division of FAS into the Department of Social Protection on the 1st of January 2012, I have directed that a review of CE schemes will commence immediately.

No Community Employment scheme will close pending the outcome of this review.

The purpose of the review will be to establish the on-going viability of each scheme in the context of the overall objectives of the CE programme and recognising in particular the community and social value of each CE scheme.

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Burton creates total confusion over cuts to CE schemes – Cowen

December 16th, 2011

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Social Protection Barry Cowen has called for urgent clarification from the Taoiseach and the Minister for Social Protection as to whether or not a review is taking place on massive cuts to grants for Community Employment schemes. Minister Joan Burton created further confusion in the Dáil last night by attempting to hide behind “reviews” of the cuts she proposed to CE schemes in Budget 2012, despite the fact that yesterday the Taoiseach told the Dáil that any reviews cannot result in a reversal of the 66% cuts to grants for Community Employment schemes. Deputy Cowen said: “Fine Gael and Labour appear to be at odds over the cuts to Community Employment schemes announced in the Budget. The conflicting reports from the Government are causing great distress to those involved in community employment projects around the country. “I again questioned Minister Burton in the Dáil about what these cutbacks will mean for individual CE projects nationwide. Once again she failed to provide a clear response. She said the cuts will not result in any CE schemes shutting down, but she didn’t deny that each of them would be hit with massive cuts of 66% to the grants provided by the State. “Minister Burton has offered no solace to people around the country who are deeply worried about the impact of these cuts. There is real fear among community groups, the long-term unemployed and employers involved in CE schemes about what these cuts will mean to them. It is incumbent on the Minister to clear this up once and for all.”

ENDS

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Call to reverse support scheme cuts

December 9th, 2011

Union members and single parents have picketed the Dail in protest against Budget cuts to community employment schemes.

And in another act of defiance against the Government, rebel Labour TD Patrick Nulty joined the protest and called for a U-turn on the cuts.

“The Government must exercise common sense and immediately reverse the disastrous cuts,” said Mr Nulty, who was expelled from the parliamentary party on Monday for voting against the coalition on the Budget.

“This cut has the potential to close vital services as without the materials grant there will not be sufficient funding to cover costs.”

Around 100 people took a stand after the Government announced funding cuts to social welfare, which will result in community schemes providing services to children, the elderly and single parents being forced to close down.

Siptu, which organised the protest, pointed out that the 66% cut means the funding of a materials grant and training grant has been slashed from 1,500 euro to 500 euro per scheme.

“In areas of disadvantage, community employment is often the only access people have to work, training and education,” Siptu campaign coordinator Darragh O’Connor said.

“The Government has said that fairness is a core principle with regard to this Budget. Let them demonstrate that is the case by reversing these savage cutbacks which threaten the entire future of community employment in our country.”

But Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore rejected claims that the Government was closing down community employment schemes.

He said: “The Government is providing additional monies for labour activation. The amount of money provided by the Department of Social Protection for employment support measures in 2012 is almost 100 million euro more than what was provided last year.”

Taken from the Hearld.ie

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Email from Sankalpa to Minister Gilmore TD

December 9th, 2011

Dear Minister Gilmore,
Thank you for your reply.  There are a number of issues and questions I would like to address in this email.
1.  Are you telling me that the training and materials budget of community employment schemes will now not be reduced by 66%?
2. If the Labour Party really believes that Community Employment Schemes carry out an important role within our communities supporting the social fabric, why then would you support measures to undermine these services by reducing their budgets and forcing many of them to close down?
3. If the Labour Party want value for money from CE scheme, why take such a unfair measure of cutting every CE project by the same arbitrary figure of 66%?  If you want value for money you will first have to carry out an assessment or evaluation and do this in partnership with the community and voluntary sector.  I want value for money and I want better outcomes.  I don’t believe your begin honest, fair or just in this budgetary measure.
4.  You refer to the Minister Joan Burton seeking value for money, good outcomes, progression and experience for participants.  Well I manage Sankalpa (www.sankalpa.ie) and for the last 4 years since starting to work in the service that is what I have been committed to doing.  Sankalpa comes under the special CE schemes for drug users seeking support with their recovery, rehabilitation and progression towards life long learning and future employment.  The biggest obstacle we face in trying to progress our participants is the overly medicalized treatment they receive for their addiction.  They have been overly medicalized on methadone, zimovaine, valium, anti-depressants and other medications.  By the time they reach our service, they have been brain washed by psychiatry and medicine – policies supported by Government.  It can take up to 3 years to bring someone through the Sankalpa program from being highly medicated to becoming drug free, dealing with the underlying causes of their addiction and embracing education, social change, housing and re-integration into family systems and local communities.  During those two to three years, on a small budget we work hard to maximize the value of every euro spend and every hour of the day and day of the week.  We face intimidation on a regular basis and work in highly stressed environments and communities.  I work 60 hours a week to make Sankalpa an effective service with better outcomes.  So before you judge the work of these services and make unfair cuts, please find out the facts and involve us in the process of evaluation, analysis and redevelopment.  Please do not leave this to senior officials from FAS or the department of Social Protection.  Respect the communities who voted for Roisin Shortall TD and John Lyons TD (Dublin North West).
5. As for asking your FAS regional directors “to analyze the capacity of sponsoring organizations to absorb their budget reductions”. Minister Gilmore you are simply endorsing the culture of ‘the shadow employer’ where by FAS are micro managing CE services in community and voluntary services and ignoring the rights of the employers.  FAS officials and no doubt when they become officials of the department of social protection, do not have a commitment to partnership or collaboration in my experience.  It seems unfair that you are suggesting such a strategy, one that further disempowers communities and local organizations.  I really don’t understand where your are coming from giving that you are a Labour (I assume socialist) TD?
6. Finally, I was in the Public Gallery today during the so called debate on the social welfare budget today, with two participants on Community Employment in Sankalpa.  Both of whom have been homeless, heroin dependent users, and now both are drug free, detoxed off their methadone, both doing a progression course linked to Cabra VEC called the ‘explore program’.  One of them lost his brother to addiction this year, and yet David still remains drug free and committed to his recovery.  Both of these men are fathers and are trying to do their best by their Children.  Both of them were shocked at the pantomime that passes for a debate on a bill that will affect the most vulnerable in our society.  Only Dessie Ellis TD, Mary Lou McDonald TD and Richard Boyd Barrett TD took the time to speak to us and acknowledge our presence.
Minister Gilmore I believe that you want to respect the needs and rights of all our citizens equally.  Please have the courage to be transparent and honest and state clearly that this government is not going to cut the funding to community employment services.
Please ensure a fair and transparent review of community employment takes place and that this review will be done in partnership with the community and voluntary sector, the communities in which they are based and the participants who use these services.
Kind Regards
Dr. Tom O Brien

Manager
Sankalpa Finglas – Cabra

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Community Employment Schemes put at risk due to Labour-Fine Gael Budget 2011

December 8th, 2011

Dear Roisin Shortal TD, John Lyons TD and Paschal Donohoe TD,

As a service constituent of yours, I am writing to ask you to vote against the measures contained in Budget 2012 relating to the savage cuts to FAS CE programmes.

FAS Special CE Drug Rehab Projects, which underpin the national drugs rehab strategy, are being savagely attacked by a 66% cut in operational and training funding. It is proposed to cut the materials and training budget from €1500 to just €500 per participant per annum. This is the money that provides heat, light, telephone, stationery, education materials, etc, etc.  Crucially, it also pays for progression training for people engaged in a rehabilitation process.

In addition to these cuts, lone parents attempting to address their drug addiction will have their entitlement to part payment of another DSP discontinued – as will those who are in receipt of an illness payment.   These measures take no account of the cost of childcare or disability and are unfair, unequal and simply cruel. It is a known fact that incentives to engage in rehabilitation increase take-up levels and subsequently everyone wins – the client, the community, their family and wider society.

The drug problem has not gone away. We see the evidence of the devastation that drugs cause to individual, families and the wider community every day. On the same day as the cuts in the Budget were announced, the latest figures from the Health Research Board (HRB) National Drug-Related Deaths Index (NDRDI)  were released showing the number of heroin-related deaths had increased by 20% in 2009 and a further report from the Mercy University Hospital Cork stated that 47% of psychiatric patients admitted had a substance misuse problem. According to micro research study figures released at a conference this morning in Ballybough, Dublin, the use of crack-cocaine, crystal meth, mephedrone, alcohol and skunk are rising at an alarming rate.

Since 2008 drug projects have experienced cut after cut after cut and there is simply nothing left to give.


Please use your common sense and do not vote in favor of this proposal.


Regards


Dr. Tom O Brien

Manager

Sankalpa

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