Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I will ask one straight question because we are talking about employment and jobs. Will the Taoiseach, as part of that reshuffle, appoint a Minister with a dedicated responsibility for employment? Will he establish a new Department of Employment that will function and drive some employment strategy? The Labour Party made a proposal before the budget for the establishment of a jobs fund and a range of labour market interventions that would seek to get people back to work or at least access to education and training that they require to be better able to pick up employment and avail of business opportunities into the future. Will the Taoiseach at least do that much soon? There is an urgency in the employment issue and getting people back to work. From the Taoiseach's earlier reply, neither he nor any member of Government appears to appreciate or understand this urgency.

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