Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister for his reply. Approximately 33,000 people are employed in more than 500 companies at the Irish Financial Services Centre. This huge sector has grown consistently and incrementally since the late 1980s. The Minister will be aware that according to the best projections, a further 10,000 jobs will be created in that sector in the coming years. We would like most of those jobs, many of which will be suitable for graduates and those with postgraduate qualifications, to be taken up by our young people. Last week, Fianna Fáil published a strategy document on tackling youth unemployment, in which we suggested that an internship programme with a particular focus on the IFSC be established. The programme could offer a range of opportunities to financial, business, legal and accounting graduates. I would like the Minister and the Department to consider a programme of that kind favourably. We have estimated that 1,000 internship places could be offered through the programme initially at relatively little cost.

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