Madam, - When recently opening a new playground in Gloucester Park, in north inner city Dublin, the Taoiseach paid tribute to two local folklorists. They had published a book of oral recollections of this historic part of Dublin known as the Gloucester Diamond. He had read the book the night before the launch and congratulated the two authors, Ben Savage and Terry Fagan.
This is ironic, because the same two men have just been informed that they are to lose their jobs on the FÁS programme known as Whole Time Job initiative. They are among 34 out of 95 on the scheme in this part of the inner city who are being forced back on the dole along with hundreds across the country. They are almost all employed in community projects which are providing essential services in the locality such as after-school initiatives, community training workshops, care of the elderly, and local employment services.
There are conflicting reasons coming from FÁS to explain the terminations but to us it is part of the pattern of this Government's cutbacks which hit the most vulnerable and diminish the value of the work they perform.
ICON demands that the FÁS termination notices be withdrawn. In fact, these notices could be deemed illegal as FÁS is not the employing agency, but the funder. What it is attempting is in effect a lock-out. Any negotiations should involve at least the following principles:
1. The present jobs be protected, preferably by those currently doing them, either by extending their contracts or mainstreaming the positions.
2. If people wish to accept terminations they have a right to enhanced statutory redundancy and legal entitlements.
ICON will support the threatened J1 workers in their efforts to protect their jobs in whatever legal, trade union or militant protests they deem necessary.
August saw the anniversary of the beginning of the Great Lockout of 1913. Terry Fagan and Ben Savage are engaged in running a pageant to commemorate the occasion.
In its attacks on the vulnerable in our society is this Government carrying on the traditions of William Martin Murphy? - Yours, etc.,
TOM REDMOND,
Inner City
Organisations Network,
Lower Buckingham Street,
Dublin 1.