Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the director and his colleagues. I want to start with reference to the potential location of the European labour agency. I hope the Government is very much aware of that and the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Employment Affairs and Social Protection should be very active in this regard. It seems logical to join with Eurofound here in Ireland, whether in Loughlinstown or elsewhere, given the labour relations aspect. In light of Brexit, I believe we should be given special consideration because of the challenges we face. Eurofound has a budget of some €20 million, which is a big contribution and provides approximately 100 jobs. I was disappointed we lost the medical agency which went from the UK and also the financial services agency. We were outmanoeuvred and out-lobbied in those cases and, quite frankly, we should have got one of those agencies in Ireland, particularly as, in one way or another, we will be the biggest losers as a result of Brexit.

Among the interesting information provided by Mr. Menéndez-Valdés, I was interested with the information on the low level of social housing here compared to other European countries. It is evident that we do not have enough social housing, which is why we have 10,000 people without houses in Dublin and other regions.

The mental health of young people is a serious matter. I presume that all of the information presented by Eurofound is sent directly to the Department of Health, in particular the section that deals with mental health. The situation is very concerning. Mr. Menéndez-Valdés elaborated further in regard to young people with severe or moderate depressive symptoms, where the trends are worrying. Knowledge is power, in a sense. The fact that Eurofound is preparing this information is giving the people involved with policy formation the facts for all of Europe.

I wish Mr. Menéndez-Valdés and his colleagues well in their work in the agency. I am delighted they had a chance to come here today.