Anger over lack of town Fás scheme

KILKEE town councillors have expressed frustration at the absence of a Fás scheme in the town. The matter was raised at Monday’s November meeting, where councillors supported a motion from Councillor Lily Marrinan Sullivan asking that a Fás scheme be restored to Kilkee and if it wasn’t, elicit the reasons behind that decision.

“It’s quite disturbing what towns and villages a third of the size of us have in terms of Fás schemes. It’s having a huge impact on this town,” Councillor Marrinan Sullivan commented.

“I would like if we could follow up with a letter to our local councillors and local TDs. We’ve been pursuing this now for three years,” she added.

“Whatever avenues we have to pursue, I think we should do that,” Mayor of Kilkee Claire Haugh commented.

The mayor acknowledged that there were other schemes in Kilkee but said “as regards the Fás scheme, it does not exist in Kilkee.”

The same issue was highlighted at the May meeting of Kilkee Town Council. At that meeting, Councillor Elaine Haugh Hayes sought a report from Fás “regarding future schemes for the town and a report on why no scheme was given to Kilkee in recent times”.

In a written reply, Angela Tierney, higher education officer with the Department of Social Protection, said that all schemes were being reviewed nationally.

“The town of Kilkee is still benefiting from the Fás/Social Protection scheme. There are four general operatives/tidy town in Kilkee town and environs, five persons in the radio station, one participant in the parish offices and three people in Cross village. These 13 participants are split over three existing schemes,” the reply stated.

Councillor Haugh Hayes said other neighbouring areas are seeing more benefits from Fás schemes. “We don’t seem to be getting any help,” she added.

Councillor Marrinan Sullivan agreed. “There is no question that we are not getting our fair share from Fás in Kilkee,” she said.

She also pointed out that none of those who have retired from the county council have been replaced and said people with “a very heavy schedule are having to take on more and more”.

She said that a similar query had been met “with the same standard response” five years earlier.

At the May meeting, Councillor Marrinan Sullivan suggested raising the issue with West Clare county councillors and with TDs. Councillor Michael McGrath said Fás schemes have workers in Kilrush, Moyasta and Lissycasey but Kilkee was losing out. Councillor PJ Lardner suggested the mayor raise it at the next meeting of Kilrush area councillors.

At the May meeting, it was also recommended an invitation be sent from Kilkee Town Council to invite a representative from Fás to attend a meeting of Kilkee Town Council to explain why Kilkee did not have its own Fás Scheme.