John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My final set of questions relates to unemployment. Figures published today suggest that the unemployment rate is down to 7.5% from a peak of 15.4%, although I stand open to correction on that. It is an old chestnut. The view is that the best way to reduce poverty is to get people back to work. What has the impact of the past four years been since unemployment started to drop from its highest point? What has the impact been in terms of getting people out of poverty?

I represent a large rural constituency, parts of which are sparsely populated. However, it has a number of substantial towns as well. The worst poverty I have come across is in isolated rural areas. I am conscious that even in isolated rural areas there may be generations of families who have not worked. How does Ireland compare with other European countries? This is tied in to the American idea of the rust belt and the loss of manufacturing.

The biggest urban centre in my region is Waterford city. Other urban centres nearby include Wexford and Carlow. They have suffered significant losses in manufacturing employment in the past ten years or more. Even at the height of the Celtic tiger, many of those manufacturing jobs were going. Do we have significant concentrations of unemployment in geographic locations throughout the country? Is there an intergenerational unemployment issue? Is the issue as great as I and others fear? I might think of some other questions before our guests conclude, but perhaps they could try to address some of those I have already raised.