Ms Brid O'Brien:

Both University College Cork and the National Youth Council did some work in this area. What is striking is the number of people who have emigrated. Without a doubt, our unemployment figures would look worse without the levels of emigration. That so many people have left work and emigrated up to the end of the last quarter is striking. It is twice the number who left because they were unemployed. I think there are quality of work issues which we need to have a serious look at in this country. On the emigration-immigration front we need better data on all of these issues. My final point is around strategic infrastructural investment. It is important not to think always of those issues in terms of economic investment but also social investment that has a return. Both economic and social housing and education are two clear ones.