Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

From the manner in which the Minister puts things, she seems to work from the assumption there is a cohort of young people who are dying to be on jobseeker's allowance rather than wanting to work. I accept there is a plethora of organisations and I believe that is the very reason some young people find it so difficult to access services, given the confusion that exists. Facilitators work for the Minister's Department, and as such she has control over them. She does not have a say as regards the partnership bodies or FÁS officers and it is she who is making the cuts in payments as regards jobseeker's allowance. The Minister said in a statement in July that these facilitators would work with the under-25s, not just the 18 and 19 year olds, which is an even bigger caseload. Anyone can send these people a sheet with the titles of courses, but if they are really to be facilitated people need to work with them on a much more individualised basis.

I have yet to see the Minister publish the results of the pilot schemes done by facilitators, albeit into lone parents. Perhaps she could inform the House as to how they operate and this might lead to a more informed debate in this regard. Young people are racking their brains and doing all they can to find courses that are suitable or trying to find employment. Not many of them are opting for this, although I appreciate some are, and we want to stop that. The majority of them want to find alternatives. The amendment I have tabled asks for clear information on the alternatives and the courses that are available for them.

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