Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There was extensive discussion between my Department and the Department of Social Protection about the eligibility criteria for the programme and it was decided that because we have one of the highest rates of youth unemployment in Europe - more than 100,000 people are in this cohort - the resources, scarce and all as they are, will be channelled towards them. A sum of €20 million is being invested in this fund. At this point in time, eligibility for the programme is restricted to those in receipt of jobseeker's allowance.

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