Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

The problem with the Minister's answers is that they do not equate with reality on the ground. He has twice mentioned Irish Water. The work that will be transferred to Irish Water is currently being done by local authority workers. The contracts he referred to are short-term contracts for the installation of water meters to privatise the service and will be fulfilled by companies such as Sierra or SiteServ. There is no proper State-led investment to repair leaks and develop a proper infrastructure.

The policies the Minister identified as dealing with the unemployment issue are being used to add to the problem. The Minister mentioned activation measures. Schemes such as JobBridge are being exploited by the private sector, not to employ people but to take them on in cheap internships. Unless the Government recognises its over-reliance on the private sector, which has been on strike for the past number of years, and addresses that problem, the chronic and long-term unemployment that citizens are faced with will continue.

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