Next Monday community employment, CE, supervisors and assistant supervisors will go on strike. They have been forced to take that action following the Government's continued failure to honour a Labour Court recommendation made in 2008. That recommendation called for an agreed pension scheme to be put in place for those advisers and assistant advisers, funded by the Government. We know the fantastic work done in communities by CE supervisors, assistant supervisors and CE schemes the length and breadth of the State, including in TidyTowns projects and GAA clubs. Since that Labour Court recommendation in 2008, 250 supervisors have retired with no occupational pensions.

During the week, the Department for Employment Affairs and Social Protection issued a letter requesting the names of any supervisors taking part in strike action. That threatening letter is appalling. I use the word "threatening" because it stated that funding of schemes will be reviewed having regard to industrial action taken.

The Deputy's time is up.

This issue can be resolved if the Government sits down with the trades unions, negotiates this issue and-----

The Deputy's time is up.

-----honours the Labour Court recommendation of 2008. Will that happen?

I agree with the Deputy that CE schemes are very valuable and that the people who work on them make a significant contribution in their own communities across the country. However, it is important to acknowledge that those employed in CE schemes are not employees of the State and, therefore, the pension arrangements that would apply to employees of the State do not apply in the case of CE schemes. The Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform has outlined the reasoning behind that on more than one occasion.