The employment status of Community Employment Scheme supervisors needs to be regularised.
It is sad that the supervisors have had to take strike action today but the campaign to have their status recognised by the Department of Social Protection has been ignored for years.
The Labour Relations Commission has stated that Community Employment Scheme supervisors are entitled to be recognised as employees and receive their statutory entitlements, including pension rights.
The cost of recognition is outweighed by the enormous community work being carried out by the supervisors all over the country.
Without out the schemes and the invaluable contribution of the supervisors, much-needed community work would not be carried out.

Photo of me meeting with supervisors outside Government Building, including Teresa Kelly and Noreen McWalter from Tuam.