Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have experienced the worst economic crisis in the history of the country which happened under Fianna Fáil-led Governments driving policies that promoted the property bubble and drove our economy onto the rocks. In 2011, when this Government took office, 1,600 jobs were being lost every week. After much focus and progress, 1,200 jobs a week are being created but we still have more to do and more progress is needed. Job creation is a priority for the Government. I come from the Waterford constituency which has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, not through any fault of its own. Its manufacturing tradition became uncompetitive and there was a dependence on construction. When both collapsed, there was a void which needed to be addressed. To achieve progress and to create solutions, we need to hear from the Opposition as well as from Government about realistic solutions that will help to create jobs. All I hear is the Opposition in a permanent state of protest constantly trying to undermine a Government that is working hard to create jobs. I listened to Deputy Boyd Barrett criticising the Government. I wonder what he has ever worked at in his life to be such an expert on job creation or whether he has ever worked outside of this House.

There needs to be a range of options to assist those who are unemployed. Gateway is not an isolated solution. JobBridge is one option and 61% of interns who have engaged with JobBridge have achieved full-time employment on completion of the programme. This information has been compiled by Indecon. I refer to Tús schemes and CE schemes which have been very successful in acting as stepping stones for long-term unemployed people to get back into the workforce. I refer to the MOMENTUM programme and the Steps programme for the self-employed and the back to education schemes. The solution needs to be found by means of a holistic approach.

Sinn Féin has been critical of the Government with regard to the jobseeker's allowance and the Gateway scheme. The Sinn Féin Members like to deny it but in Northern Ireland, 16 to 24 year olds are paid £56.80 per week which is equivalent to €67, yet they are very critical of this Government reducing the rate for those under 25 years to €100 a week. Those over 25 years in Northern Ireland are paid £71.70 a week as jobseeker's allowance, which is equivalent to €85, for a period of only six months, while in the Republic it is paid for nine months. This is typical of Sinn Féin Members speaking out of both sides of their mouth. I support Deputy O'Mahony's comments that Sinn Féin supports the youth employment scheme in Northern Ireland which pays £15.38 a week in addition to benefits, yet its Members come into this House and are critical of a Gateway scheme that actually pays more. This scheme is a stepping stone which is part of an holistic approach to getting the long-term unemployed back into the workplace. It is solutions we need here and not just protests.

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