Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In facing into the EU Presidency and considering the matter for almost two years I, as Minister for Social Protection, identified this as a critical area. In Ireland the unemployment rate has moved down but it is still at a very high level. In the case of young people throughout Europe, their rate is almost double the rate of unemployment for those over 25. With young people new to the labour market, there are not that many jobs available and in a depressed market, they face particular problems. I have met regularly the EU Commissioner responsible for social affairs and fellow Ministers across Europe, impressing on them that it is difficult to envisage a social Europe that would countenance an unemployment rate of 50% and over in some of the countries facing severe economic difficulties.

The agreement based on the work done in particular by Eurofound, a foundation headquartered in Ireland that deals with living and working conditions, has focused on young people who are not in education, employment or training. These are the people most at risk of long-term unemployment. There is also the agreement for the budget heading of €6 billion, which is provisional. We will know the outcome of that after the European Parliament deliberates with the Council President. I will revert to the Deputy as we pin down details and get it passed at the May Council meeting. I hope the agreement is a very good signal for us going in the direction of a social Europe.

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