PROFILE: Mike Redmond, Kilkenny Tús Supervisor

Alan Jacques

Reporter ALAN JACQUES recently interviewed one of the 200 supervisors being hired this year to work with Local Development Companies on the national Tús Scheme:

County Kilkenny Leader Partnership recently appointed Mike Redmond as the supervisor of its Tús scheme.

Mike has years of experience in the rail and construction recruitment industry here and in Britain. His main focus was to recruit, co-ordinate and manage operatives on some of the biggest British projects.

Mike Redmond, Tús Supervisor in Kilkenny

Mike told ‘Changing Ireland’ he is now profiling candidates for the scheme and matching their skills for the areas in which participants are needed.

“We’ve been into the communities and spoken to the different organisations and groups to identify the participants that they require. We’ve had huge interest from around 70 different groups in the Kilkenny area and we will have no problem filling the 80 places on the Tús Scheme. We’ve interviewed 18 people in the Piltown area this week,” said Mike.

“The groups are looking for people in different areas, it’s a mixed bag really, everything from sporting coaches to green area workers. I’m getting stuck into it now and while we’re only getting up and running I’m sure it will be a great success,” he concluded.

The Tús initiative is a community work placement scheme for unemployed people and County Kilkenny was allocated 80 places. Participants are identified by the Department of Social Protection and then referred by Kilkenny Leader Partnership.

You can read earlier blog reports on Tús here, while our Summer Edition of 'Changing Ireland' features 2 pages of reports on how the Tús Scheme is being rolled out nationwide.