Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I thank my colleagues for sharing time and I commend Deputy Enright for introducing the motion. I wonder about the seriousness of the Government and the Minister with regard to the motion, given that the first element of the amendment notes that the average processing time nationally is three weeks for jobseeker's benefit and six weeks for jobseeker's allowance. I cannot reconcile that with the fact that only two weeks ago in the House, in reply to an adjournment matter I tabled, the Minister acknowledged that the average waiting time in Gort, County Galway, was more than ten weeks, the third worst waiting time of all centres in the country. The Minister stated that the issue was now resolved. I do not understand what she means by that. The chaos which exists in that centre is unbelievable and the conditions under which the personnel must work is unimaginable. Nothing has been done despite the ever increasing numbers that have joined the unemployment list. It is time that the Minister for Social and Family Affairs got a handle on the situation and examined the reality of what is taking place at the coal face with regard to the number of unemployed in the country today.

With approximately 370,000 people unemployed, there is a very significant wealth of talent in various areas which could be utilised very well. I refer to the number of electricians, carpenters and highly qualified personnel who are unemployed. There is an onus on the Minister and the Department to categorise those talents and put them in groups so that, where possible, the resources available could be used.

The FÁS scheme has been very successful in many areas throughout the years and such talents could be put to good use in repairing local authority houses. Local authorities have had to let people go in recent months because they can no longer pay them. There is a very significant logjam in works to be carried out with regard to housing for the elderly, tenants repairs and other schemes. It is not good enough for the Government to walk away and suggest people are being provided with funding. Most of those with talent wish to get back to work and are not being afforded the opportunity to do so. I call on the Minister of State, Deputy Hoctor, to ask her colleague to lift the embargo on recruitment. I call especially for a derogation in the case of FÁS trainers.

Only two months ago in Loughrea, some 180 people were made redundant at Cigna. In fairness, FÁS immediately came on board as part of the economic group which responded to the needs of the workforce which had been made redundant. FÁS came on site and provided an accelerated information technology course for those people. However, when the current group finishes its training course, that will be the end of it because of the embargo. I call on the Minister to provide a derogation from that embargo to allow some relief to those who have been made unemployed. There is no point in a Minister talking from both sides of her mouth, pretending she and the Government is concerned about rising unemployment while, at the same time, denying those affected the opportunity to up-skill. We have been told time and again in the House that up-skilling is the priority. I call for this to be rectified as a matter of urgency.

I refer to the delay in and the nature of appeals. For example, I have papers from a person who applied for an old age pension. The papers were sent back by a deciding officer and a statement of means was referred to. That person was supposed to appeal the pension application. However, there is a blank page on this statement of appeals, which is simply not good enough. It is grossly negligent for the deciding officer involved to make such a reply to an application and this must stop also.

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