Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)

That statistic is a damning reflection of the quality of the interventions we are making available to people. These organisations - I do not doubt that they are full of good people - are engaging with human tragedies. It is really damning that such an observation has been made by an impartial organisation. The Minister's proposal to establish a one-stop shop is essential if we are to deal with that.

The second conclusion of the report to which I would like to refer is the fact that those who sign on after losing a job, and who have claimed unemployment benefit in the past, are excluded from active assistance in job searches and training. If it is true that those who have been unemployed in the past are disbarred from participating in the processes that are meant to be getting them back to work, one has to wonder what the people in question are actually doing.

The third aspect of the report I would like to mention is the section dealing with the interaction between the Department of Social Protection, FÁS and other organisations that are involved in this area. The report suggests that one in four unemployed people who are eligible for State assistance are not identified by the relevant authorities. Such observations and conclusions castigate, frankly, the spending of so much money on support for the unemployed by organisations that are involved in trying to get them back to work.

I would like to conclude on a positive point. When we speak about those who are coping with the tragedy of being unemployed, we should acknowledge that the 465,000 people in question constitute a great bank of talent and potential for our nation. The fact that the organisations involved with them are failing, as identified in the report I have mentioned, is in itself a reason to support this Bill.

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