Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Hegarty for that. I want to make a quick comment myself. Deputy Bruton asked about statistics on job creation. Mr. Hegarty was talking about full employment. Deputy Stanton asked a question about blackspots or regional blackspots. It is a particular issue for me because the city of Limerick, where I come from, has eight of the top ten blackspots. We are waiting on the CSO figures to see whether there has been any movement on this. I understand completely that Pathways to Work and activation schemes are matters for the Department of Social Protection, but has there been any discussion related to the White Paper on how to entice to work those who have not worked and whose families might not have worked for generations? An incredible amount of work has been done in the Limerick area in the past year or so through the Limerick regeneration programme, local schools and businesses to alert those in some of the more deprived areas about jobs available and to help them get over the barriers in returning to the workforce or, as for many, entering it for the first time. What discussions have taken place in that regard?