Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

That is the highest number of people ever unemployed in the State. It is 300,000 more than were on the live register when the general election took place in May 2007. It is 100,000 jobs lost each year that the Government in its present form has been in office, and 2,000 jobs lost each week. This is not counting the number of people who have left the country, as immigrants who have gone home and young Irish people who have emigrated to Australia and elsewhere.

The biggest crisis that the country is facing at present is the level of unemployment. Two weeks ago, I stated that according to the CSO figures, 40% of those who are out of work have been out of work for more than a year. One in every three young men in the workforce is out of work. It impacts on the level of poverty experienced by households and the self-esteem and morale of the individuals out of work. It is the cause of huge worry to parents who wonder whether their children will get work or whether they will have to emigrate. It also impacts hugely on the public finances because every person out of work represents a cost of approximately €20,000 to the State through tax lost and social welfare payments.

When will the Government take seriously the issues of unemployment and getting people back to work? The number quoted by the Taoiseach on the increase in the back to education allowances is marginal compared to what is happening. The unemployment exchange in my constituency is beside a college of education with a cap on the number entering. Increased numbers of people are out of work. No active measures are being taken by the Government to get people back to work and very little is being done to get them into education and training.

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