Council employ 68 under gateway project

Westmeath County Council currently has 68 people employed under the controversial Gateway Project, it emerged recently at a local authority meeting.

Responding to a question by Cllr Mick Dollard, official David Hogan said that while the majority of those taken on under the scheme are working with the council’s outdoor staff, others have taken up roles in other departments such as the library service.

Mr Hogan added that the hiring of 68 new members of staff taken on under the scheme - which sees long term unemployed people work for 20 hours a week for an additional €20 on top of their dole - was agreed beforehand with the trade unions and that the new staff are performing “additional works”.
At the meeting in Mullingar, it was revealed that Gateway staff had been delegated to tackle the county’s ragwort problem.

Meanwhile, the council has been given approval by central government to hire 11 new staff. They have been given the green light to fill six positions at the craft and general operatives grades and five temporary general operative posts to assist with the construction of the Mullingar to Athlone cycleway.

While the six full time positions have to be offered first for redeployment candidates from other public service areas, Cllr John Shaw said he hoped that most would be hired from the ranks of the unemployed.