Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)

That is jolly decent of you.

The question is focused on youth unemployment. I recall that when in opposition Fine Gael produced a policy document on youth unemployment. During Question Time on 19 January 2011 Deputy Bruton expressed great concern about people under the age of 25 who were unemployed and who were emigrating. I find it strange that the Government has no specific plan for youth unemployment. I understand it has a national action plan for combating unemployment with 270 proposals but I can find only a glancing reference to youth unemployment, which is the greatest focus of unemployment in the country with more than 40% unemployment among people aged between 15 to 19 and 26.5% among people aged between 19 and 24. There is no particular focus on youth unemployment, just one glancing reference.

In his response the Minister mentioned Pathways to Work. Pathways to Work makes no reference to youth unemployment. In view of the alarming numbers of people under the age of 25 who are unemployed, the drop in the number of people under the age of 25 who are at work and the significant continuing increase in emigration of which there is considerable anecdotal evidence, does the Minister intend to formulate a plan to deal specifically with the unemployment of people under the age of 25 and will it be reflected in the rolling national action plan for employment?

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