Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

As regards what has just been aired, I agree entirely with both Deputy Deasy and the Minister of State that the quicker this is brought to a conclusion, the better. This is in nobody's interest, and neither is it in anybody's interest that any particular organisation should be allowed to present its case in preference to others. Each will have developed its own level of expertise over time.

Since the Minister of State has given allocation figures of the order of €120 million, if having secured the year for the achievement of the 0.7% of GNP and ensured no further cuts, is there not a net advantage to the Cabinet in general in using the NGO sector as a graduate placement operation? The social welfare costs are between €20,000 and €30,000 per year for every unemployed graduate. At present, right across all disciplines, a vast number of graduates are on the dole. If the NGO sector, including those bodies mentioned here, was given the capacity to place graduates, this would be an invaluable help to the graduates, the receiving countries and the Irish economy in the future.

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