Marie Moloney (Labour)
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The problem is that the youth guarantee has not been rolled out. We need this to happen. Mr. McKeon has outlined dates for the passage of the legislation. Let us get it through. What is holding it up?

What is holding the legislation up? Let us get it through. Why is it being held up so long? I thought the Minister might be here today so that we could speak about this, but she is not. We are now halfway through 2014 and another year will be gone before we get it.
I have a concern. Wording is very important and people can cover a lot up with wording. Mr. McKeon said:

The cost of implementing the youth guarantee will be met, in the first instance, by the Irish Exchequer. However, it is expected that a number of these youth programmes will meet European Social Fund, ESF, and youth employment initiative, YEI, eligibility criteria and will be included in the relevant applications for Ireland.

I do not want to hear that it is expected to meet eligibility criteria; I want to know that it will meet them. What is the point in saying that we thought it would, if it does not? We need to know it will meet the eligibility criteria.
Mr. McKeon stated that the programme would cost €528 million for 52,000 people.