Tús is a work placement scheme which aims to provide work opportunities for those who are unemployed, while also assisting in providing certain services to benefit communities. Currently, there is a restriction on the random selection process for those on jobseeker's allowance as they are engaging with JobPath. Removing those restrictions would significantly increase the number of participants available to Tús, resulting in a higher number of jobseekers gaining the opportunity to get involved in their local community. Companies are welcoming the new July stimulus package of 3,000 extra Tús and community employment places but are worried that with the present restrictions, they will find it difficult to fill the current quotas in place, not because of lack of eligible participants but because of the rule which states that those currently engaging with JobPath are not available for random selection for Tús. Change is needed here, especially in the current climate as unemployment figures are high and community groups are struggling for assistance. One year is not long enough for most individuals on the Tús scheme. By the time the participants have been trained and community groups become familiar with them, it is time for them to leave the scheme. Three years is also a long time for a person to wait before becoming eligible to re-enter the Tús scheme. The period should be reduced to one year. If persons have not found employment in the year after Tús, they should have the option of coming back to Tús to gain more assistance and experience. On the rural social scheme also, if the six-year rule continues, we will not be able to fill all of the places on the scheme. The positions created under the stimulus package are important. I ask the Deputy Leader to take this on board and change those rules as quickly as possible. I raised this issue briefly with the Minister yesterday.

I echo and support the calls for the re-establishment of the Seanad Select Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. The previous Seanad led the way on discourse and discussion on Brexit. This issue has far from gone away, although it has probably been sidelined as a result of Covid. I certainly believe this Chamber has a significant role to play in that regard.

I also echo and agree with calls for the Minister with responsibility for disability to come into the House. I was concerned about delays when I heard about them. They were discussed on "Morning Ireland" this morning. It is totally unacceptable. We made considerable progress on disability when we had a Minister of State with specific responsibility for disability at Cabinet, namely, former Deputy Finian McGrath. We made progress by ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, CRPD. I am not sure how disability fits into the Ministry to which it is attached but I am willing to keep an open mind. It would be appropriate at an early point in the next term to have the Minister with responsibility for disability, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman, in the House to give us his view on disability and the uphill battle that must be fought to create an equal society. I look forward to that debate and engaging with the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman. I have no doubt the Minister is sincere in his endeavours, but we need to see what his roadmap is. There are commitments in the programme for Government on disability, one of which is the establishment of a joint Oireachtas committee to monitor the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. I would like to know when this committee will be formed and I would like more details on its specific mandate. I look forward to that debate in September.