Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I refer to the heading of beefing up the economists across various Departments.

I would add accountants and financial analysts to that because economists look in terms of big aggregates and accountants tend to look at the analysis behind the aggregates and at the explanations and one gets a better understanding. For instance, in the banking sector, there were too many economists and not enough courageous accountants who had a battle experience, or as I call it the Normandy landing experience of portfolio management.

Youth unemployment is a big question in the economy. I heard on the news the other day that the Army Reserve is being slimmed down to 4,000. The Army Reserve and other community-based disciplined activities are a good way to keep younger people motivated, focused and exercised in productive ways. Maybe it would be worth revisiting that decision in view of the fact that unemployment among younger people is particularly high. The Army Reserve is a good way to keep them employed. It is not something to be dismissed because the accounting says one saves so many millions of euro.

The Minister said in July that we agreed a range of actions aimed at achieving a focused and integrated approach to the external service delivery of non-core processes. I am not sure about that. Will the Minister give me examples of how that will be achieved?