Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

Yes, the Deputy is correct to talk about new, innovative schemes. Within my Department, the Minister of State, Deputy Kelleher, and I have been working very closely to reorientate the emphasis of our investments, particularly within FÁS, from people within work to people who are unemployed. It is a question of ensuring people still have contact with the labour force. It is a question of linking in with the views of the Minister of State, Deputy Haughey, on skills needs and of providing skills for the future as opposed to having them evolve in the normal way. This work is ongoing and progressing quickly.

I appreciate making progress can be frustrating, it is as frustrating for me as everyone else. With regard to county enterprise boards, the Minister of State will be making an announcement in the near future, in his reply to a parliamentary question, on how he believes we can support micro-enterprises. We are acutely aware that these new activation measures will have to encompass the realities that exist. The ratio between the two types of unemployed persons is nearly 50:50. Some 50% are in the highly skilled and motivated category while 50% are in the semi-skilled and low-skilled category. In normal circumstances during my 23 years in this House, we dealt with only one category. It is on this basis that new suites of initiatives are being worked through by all of us in the Departments of Education and Science, Social and Family Affairs and Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

See this speech in context