Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)

The saddest testimony to the mismanagement of the economy in recent years is the fact that 83,362 people under the age of 25 are unemployed. In November 2007, some 62 people under the age of 25 in my home town of Macroom were listed as unemployed. By November 2009, this had risen to 287 - a 362% increase over two years. In Newmarket, which is in my constituency, in November 2007, some 73 people under the age of 25 were listed as unemployed. By November 2009, the figure was 313 - an increase of 328%. They are real people, with real hopes, aspirations and dreams. They want to settle down, start families and get on with their lives. That which is proposed in the Bill will oblige them to put their lives on hold.

The budget does not offer these people an overall framework in the context of advancing their livelihoods or improving their economic or social circumstances. That is a sad indictment of the Government's mismanagement of the economy and of the Minister's lack of vision. The Minister has an inability to think outside the box. She is obliged to cut her budget but there is no cross-departmental approach involving her Department and the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Education and Science to the problems to which I refer.

Many of the 83,000 people under the age of 25 who are unemployed were seduced by the money that was available on building sites. They left school and did not pursue third level options and, as Deputy Kenny stated, they are now in desperate need of retraining. I do not have any confidence in FÁS's capacity to provide these people with training opportunities. That organisation is bereft of any credibility. This is particularly disappointing because we need an organisation such as FÁS to step into the breach. Identifying training needs and directing people to FÁS will not achieve the kind of fundamental reskilling required by those who were formerly employed on building sites.

There will be many third level graduates who will have no alternative but to emigrate. The loss to our economy, which has helped educate these people to a very high standard, will be significant. There is a need to think outside the box in the context of offering incentives to companies which might offer these people internships. Perhaps financial assistance could be provided and these individuals could continue to draw jobseeker's allowance, which could be topped up by an employer. Local authorities could provide young graduate engineers and architects with opportunities. There is a major deficit of architectural flair among our various local authorities. The graduates to whom I refer could be given some basic work experience by the authorities and this would then assist them in gaining more permanent job opportunities.

The budget, which lacks vision, does not offer these people any hope. That is the real tragedy with regard to where matters stand in the context of unemployment. Fine Gael published a range of initiatives which, if adopted, would take up to 50,000 young people off the live register in the coming 12 months. I regret to say that the Minister's lack of vision will consign the energy, abilities and dreams of these people to the dustbin for a further 12 months.

See this speech in context