John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Before I hand back to the witnesses who can answer the questions in order, much of the discussion has been specifically on the individuals. We talked about various schemes including on-the-job training, education and so forth . I acknowledge that but particularly in parts of Dublin - countrywide it is slightly different because job opportunities may be different - we have always had geographic areas of high unemployment. In addition to schemes aimed at individuals, such as JobBridge, community employment or apprenticeships, and apart from labour activation programmes that are aimed at the individual, there is probably something more we need to examine in the geographic areas of high unemployment around Dublin, which are well documented. I will not name any of them because that is not what this is about, but does something additional need to be done? Mr. Donohoe talked about intergenerational jobless households and we have seen them in those areas. In addition to labour activation programmes, including the specific education and advancement of the individual, do the witnesses have a view on what else can be done in geographic areas with significantly high rates of unemployment?

I will come back to my colleagues afterwards but a number of issues have been raised so I will call on Ms Mulligan first.