Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In most social welfare systems, there seems to be a presumption that there are a great many lazy people out there who are perfectly capable of working but are shirking work, and they will give them a kick if they do not work and give them an incentive if they do. We effectively have full employment here. My experience from employing people in the past, before I became a politician, was that there were people who were suitable for commercial work. There were broad categories of people. Some could be put on an employment scheme and could make a contribution. That was good for their well-being. There were some, although very small number of people, who were effectively not ill, but unemployable. We just have to face up to that. This 4% or less; I reckon it is about 1% who fall into the unemployable category for one reason or other. This idea that we can drive them all into employment by activating them and training them is just not real life, as I know people on the ground.