Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Will other new measures be taken? I wish to follow through on this issue, if possible. It is useful that the percentage of finishers in respect of the JobBridge programme stands at 52%. However, many of them are not continuing and while there may have been 10,000 starters, this does not mean there were 5,000 finishers. What other new initiatives of that nature are being considered? For example, the same Nobel laureate did not really recommend the youth guarantee programme being considered by the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton. He felt it was too expensive in the first instance and, second, that simply giving people a four-month employment or training opportunity in this environment is not adequate, given our long-term unemployment problem. I believe this Erasmus for All proposal constitutes a wonderful opportunity if we can get more out of it. I note the Minister did not mention the amount of money by which he believes Ireland will benefit.