The Minister of State for Labour Affairs, Mr Frank Fahey, has expressed confidence that the demand by Fianna Fáil backbenchers for extra Community Employment Scheme places will be met by the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy.
During heated exchanges with the Labour Party, Mr Fahey said in the Dáil last night that the amount of money was small.
"I have said clearly to the Minister for Finance that I believe he should agree to the proposals and to their financing. This matter is still under review," he said.
"It was not a matter for the Estimates, and it is not a budgetary matter.
"Therefore this review goes on, and I am quite confident that, at the end of the day, we will get the improved and expanded CES we are looking for."
Last week 30 Fianna Fáil TDs urged Mr McCreevy to provide the extra resources for the CES scheme in today's Budget. Mr Fahey has been calling for a significant expansion of the scheme.
The House will vote today on a Labour Party Private Members' motion calling for the provision of extra places on the CES.
Despite demands from Labour and Fine Gael deputies last night that Fianna Fáil backbenchers support the motion, it is not expected that any Government backbencher will break ranks when the vote takes place before Mr McCreevy announces the details of his Budget to the House.
Introducing the Labour motion, its spokesman on enterprise, trade and employment, Mr Brendan Howlin, said: "This week is make-your-mind-up time for those Government TDs who agree with Minister Fahey.
"They either vote with this side of the House to restore vital CES places or give up the pretence of concern."
Mr Fahey said there had been a difference between the Minister for Finance and himself on the issue.
"It is a healthy thing that I can have a disagreement with the Minister for Finance and make the point of view that I make.
"I very much respect the views of the Minister for Finance," he said.
"If we did not have the kind of financial control and fiscal policy the Minister has brought us through, we would not have the growing economy we have at the present time."
He said there had been "robust discussion" within the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party about the issue over the past year. "Last week, there was a motion in support of the policy which has been agreed."
There were just three Fianna Fáil backbenchers and a Fianna Fáil Minister of State in the chamber for Mr Fahey's speech. They were Mr Charlie O'Connor, Dublin South West, Mr John Cregan, Limerick West, and Mr Joe Callanan, Galway East, and the Minister of State for Enterprise and Employment, Mr Michael Ahern.
The PD Minister of State for Health, Mr Tim O'Malley, and the PD backbenchers, Mr Noel Grealish, Galway West, and Ms Mae Sexton, Longford-Roscommon, were also present.
When Mr Fahey concluded his contribution at 8 p.m. Mr Howlin noted that no other Government speaker was offering despite the fact that the Coalition still had speaking time available to it.
Mr Fahey said he had met communities throughout the State over the past year and listened to TDs in the House on the issue.
"I accept difficulties have been caused by the reduction," he said. His intention was that there would be increases in the number of places during the year.
Mr Howlin said that after months of attempting to defend the indefensible, Mr Fahey had finally broken ranks and admitted the truth that the cuts were wrong.
"They were forced on him by the Minister for Finance and they are wrong. When a member of government reaches the point of publicly declaring that the policy of government is wrong, under the doctrine of collective responsibility he accepts responsibility for the action, or removes himself from responsibility. He seems to want to do neither."
During the heated exchanges with the Labour benches, Mr Fahey accused the party of being "a bankrupt opposition". The Labour leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, remarked: "Why don't you give him water to eat the humble pie?"
The Fine Gael spokesman on enterprise, trade and employment, Mr Phil Hogan, said that the Labour motion gave Fianna Fáil backbenchers an opportunity to prove their protest against the cutbacks in the CES.
