Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 31 is self-explanatory and is about ensuring that opportunities are created for those who have been unemployed for longer than 12 months, as well for those under the age of 25 who are unemployed. All members are aware of the serious problem with high unemployment levels among those in the under-25 years age bracket. Again, this feeds into members' earlier observations on those who have been unemployed for longer than 12 months. Typically, they tend to be people who used to work in the construction industry.

If the Government is of a mind to ensure there is investment in the provision of social housing, it will help with this amendment here. Any decision being made should be made consciously. We need to look at these two areas of people under 25 and the long-term unemployed where the figures are worryingly high.