Minister of State views community improvements during Battery Heights visit

Local Fianna Fáil Councillor, Aengus O'Rourke, has commended a recent visit to Battery Heights on the west side of Athlone by Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, with special responsibility for Community Development, Jerry Buttimer.

"Together with the chairperson of the Battery Heights Residents' Association, Emma Berry, we had the pleasure of welcoming the Minister of State to the area this week.

"We walked the entire estate with Minister Buttimer highlighting the advances and improvements which have taken place in the community," Cllr O'Rourke said.

During his visit, Cllr O'Rourke requested a number of localised issues for the Minister of State to address.

"There is a need to overhaul the community employment scheme. Expecting people to work 30 hours a week for an extra €20 on their state payment is not only unfair, it is immoral. Only permitting them to work for short contracted periods is also a huge negative.

"The CE scheme currently in place has not been reformed or enhanced for decades. It needs to be scrapped and a proper employment scheme introduced where proper wages are paid for a full weeks work," Cllr O'Rourke said.

Cllr O'Rourke said that large residential estates such as Battery Heights and Willow Park are unable to be maintained solely by the respective communities.

"These areas they are too vast and require a lot of resources to keep them in good shape," Cllr O'Rourke added.

Frank Murtagh, CEO Westmeath Community Development, Linda Jo Quinn, Community Liaison Westmeath Community Development and Annette Barr Jordan, Westmeath County Council, were also in attendance for the Minister of State's visit.