Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I believe it would be long-term unemployment as well as youth unemployment.

Our unemployment is particularly affected by the collapse in construction, where employment went from approximately 300,000 to 100,000. Many of the people who are unemployed in Ireland are people with construction skills, so we have that dimension as well as the youth unemployment dimension. There is a mix of challenges in the unemployment area but both long-term unemployment and youth unemployment are decreasing, so at least they are going in the right direction. The Pathways to Work, JobBridge, Springboard, Momentum and other new initiatives are having an impact but clearly we wish to do more in those areas. This is the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton's, area and she has prepared a submission for which we will be seeking funding from Europe. That submission has been made and is awaiting a response.