John Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

My colleague, Deputy Dara Calleary, said that he would leave it to me to raise the issue of youth unemployment. It seems that if one talks about something often enough, one essentially becomes branded with that particular issue. It then becomes hard to get a job in another movie, so to speak. The main point when it comes to youth unemployment is that most of the actions that need to be taken must be taken on a national basis. At the same time, it would be remiss of me not to point out, while we have the Minister in the room, that it is often during the tea breaks of meetings that most politics is done. It is important that he take such opportunities at EU meetings to speak to counterparts with similar portfolios from other member states. There is a great deal of positive engagement on the youth unemployment issue, but we have a responsibility to do more. Given our status as a country about to emerge from a bailout programme it has always been acknowledged that any roll-out of the youth guarantee and other initiatives to address the horrendous youth unemployment situation we are currently facing will be done on a phased basis. To a certain extent, we run the risk when we talk about youth guarantees and youth employment initiatives of overselling ourselves and thereby possibly letting ourselves and our young people down. It is important that we get the message across at meetings of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council that more needs to be done to address this issue and no stone should be left unturned.

As to what can be done nationally, it is important to note that this is an issue which cuts across Departments. I understand an interdepartmental group, led by the Department of Social Protection and including the Departments of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Public Expenditure and Reform, Education and Skills, and Children and Youth Affairs, is examining youth employment initiatives. There are actions that are encouraged by the EU but which we have thus far failed to take. Social clauses, for example, do not contravene European legislation. In fact, if done right, they are encouraged. There is a great deal of good practice in this regard from which we can learn. Scotland, for instance, has implemented social clauses exceptionally well. The Welsh, unfortunately, did less well with their notion of Welsh jobs for Welsh people, but they are learning from that. Another area in which we can do more is that of social enterprise. At a meeting of the committee last week we heard that Ireland is at half the level of other European countries in this regard. Local enterprise offices need to start treating social enterprises as equally important as, if not more important than, standard businesses. These are businesses by another name, with the same objective of making money but an added dimension of a social mission.

As I said, much positive work is being done in the area of youth employment initiatives. However, Ireland needs to convey the message to its European partners that we can and must do more. I am sure the Minister is cognisant of all these issues, and I do not even need a response from him. If Deputy Calleary had not landed me with the opportunity to make these points, I would not have said anything at all.