Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The collapse in the construction industry, largely the cause of long-term unemployment, was not the fault of the social welfare system, at the time in question or now; rather it was the consequence of greed in the economy and the inappropriate tax breaks that had created the bubble. As the Deputy rightly stated, many people who worked hard and earned good money during the boom suddenly found themselves without a job. That is why, in my job as Minister for Social Protection, I have emphasised creating a social welfare system that will help the people in question to get back to work. The objective is that, if they cannot return to building, they will be able to find employment in another area. They can return to education or training. They can join the community employment scheme or the Tús scheme in their local area, for instance. Thus, as many as possible will have opportunities. My Department supports approximately 10,000 people at any one time in starting their own businesses. Therefore, there is no one solution that fits everybody. Instead, we are creating more than a dozen pathways, including education, training, work experience, community employment, the Tús scheme, starting one's own business and enterprise allowances, to give as many as possible an opportunity to get back on their feet and back to work.

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