Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)

Lack of employment is one of the greatest problems facing the Irish economy and Irish society. It is something of a joke that we are discussing this problem at 7.30 p.m. on a Thursday, when the media have departed. This is the second time in a row this has happened. I will not engage in this sort of farce again. This is the last time I will put questions to the Minister on such an important topic at 7.30 p.m. on a Thursday.

The Minister referred to the record of the previous Government and said 300,000 jobs were lost during its last three years. He conveniently overlooks the fact that when the previous Government left office there were 750,000 more people at work than when it took office. Despite the promises made during last year's general election campaign, we have seen a steady decrease in employment, a steady increase in unemployment and a significant increase in emigration.

Does the Minister agree that in the year before the Government took office unemployment stood at 13.5% and that it is now up to 14.8%? While that gives the appearance of stabilising, will he agree that the pattern of unemployment is significantly different? As the Minister said, 60% of those who are unemployed have been out of work for more than a year, and 40% of those who are out of work have been out of work for more than two years. Unemployment among people under 25 has reached one in three. This was considered a major crisis in France during the recent presidential election campaign. The figure in Britain is one in five and it is considered such a major crisis in that country that a Minister has been appointed specifically for that area. It is one in three in this country. Does the Minister agree we have a massive employment crisis on our hands in this country and one that has not improved one iota in the past 15 months when he has been in office?

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