Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 289: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will consult with youth organisations and the representative body for the youth sector, the National Youth Council of Ireland, to discuss actions to address youth unemployment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9485/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The Government published its Action Plan for Jobs earlier this month. The objective of the Action Plan for Jobs is to transform the operating environment for business in order to support enterprise growth and enable job creation. The Government will achieve this objective by systematically removing obstacles to competitiveness, promoting innovation and trade, supporting new and existing businesses to develop and expand, and by deepening the impact of foreign direct investment in Ireland. The Government has also identified a number of key sectors where Ireland can gain competitive advantage in global markets and benefit from employment growth. The Actions which we take through this plan are expected to reform Government and the wider economy in order to make it easier for businesses to establish and thrive, which will, in itself, result in job creation potential across all sectors and for all cohorts of Irish society, including young people.

Policy responsibility for matters including job seeker supports and activation, and training and education, rest respectively with my colleagues, the Minister for Social Protection, Ms. Joan Burton, T.D. and the Minister for Education and Skills, Mr. Ruairi Quinn, T.D. The Government will shortly be launching a new programme - Pathways to Work - to help ensure that each unemployed person is assessed and offered opportunities for training to learn new skills and improve their employment prospects.