Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This is the last European Council meeting under the Irish Presidency. I wish the Taoiseach and his team well in negotiations on discounts. Ireland's Presidency theme was stability, jobs and growth, and it was stated that 2013 would usher in a new phase of recovery in the European Union. Deputy Adams has outlined how the Presidency has failed to deliver for Ireland macroeconomically. It has also failed to usher in a new phase of recovery in the European Union, especially for those under the age of 25 years.

While there were positive developments during the Presidency, the lack of urgency or a sense of crisis on youth unemployment in particular has been criticised. One in four young people in the European Union is currently unemployed. That is a shocking figure and completely unacceptable in terms of what it means for those young people, their families and their communities. This State, which has experienced record levels of emigration since 2009, has one of the highest rates of youth unemployment in the European Union, at over 30%. It is obvious that without the safety valve emigration has provided to the Government, unemployment levels in the State would be significantly higher. The Taoiseach indicated that employment in the European Union is falling while unemployment is rising. The effects of youth and long-term unemployment combined with high rates of non-participation in education and training pose a serious social and economic threat to the European Union. It may be the most serious threat since the European Union was formed. Notwithstanding the fact that there are 26 million people unemployed across the European Union, according to the Taoiseach's own figures, there is no sense of urgency about tackling the problem. A Eurofound report investigated the financial costs of youth unemployment across the European Union. It found that the cost to the European Union of young people not being in employment, education or training is a staggering €153 billion annually. That is the task facing the Taoiseach in the forthcoming meeting.

The European Council has repeatedly told us that it will establish the youth guarantee and tackle this major issue. In February, the Council announced that a youth guarantee worth €6 billion would be put in place for 2014, to run to 2020, in countries with youth unemployment rates of over 25%. The message young people would like to hear is that apprenticeships will be created, but we are not seeing any of that. There was a smokescreen in the creation of 500 apprenticeships in the ESB, but we have not seen that extended across State bodies or local authorities, which might have a significant impact. The idea of an EU-wide youth guarantee is positive and I welcome the intention and purpose of the proposals. My main concern is that the youth employment initiative fund is grossly inadequate to fully address the massive problem of youth unemployment across the European Union.

I note that the Council meeting will discuss the youth guarantee and I urge the Taoiseach to strongly recommend that the Council consider supporting an increase in the funds available. I have raised this proposal consistently over the last six months. Any youth guarantee must reflect the scale of the problem across the European Union. Everyone accepts that the problem is getting worse, not better. The increasing numbers of young people in unemployment and the proposals from the European Parliament to expand the eligibility and criteria for the scheme must be addressed. While the passing of the €6 billion youth guarantee proposal will get some positive headlines for a few days, if it is not robust or funded sufficiently, it will fail those millions of young people who are crying out for hope and some chance of employment.

My concern is that all it will do is raise the hopes of young people in a couple of months without being enough to stimulate the economy and resolve the issue. The legacy of Ireland’s EU Presidency could rest on achieving a youth guarantee that is fit for purpose and will achieve success. The current proposals do not do that.

Under the Irish Presidency there have been some negative developments in foreign affairs. Recently, the European Union has decided not to renew the arms embargo on Syria. This is a retrograde step as sending arms to the war-torn country will only increase the bloodshed and violence. We were told the British Government is planning on directly arming the rebels now on the back of a game changer, namely, the use of chemical weapons. No information is coming out of the country in respect of who was using the weapons. There is no information on the Assad regime and its chemical weapons uniforms. There are no photographs. There is a big question mark over this but it seems to be the game changer. What is happening in the country is unacceptable. Ireland has played a positive role, as Deputy Adams said, and I hope we can continue to do so. People are crying out for support in those camps and what is happening is appalling.

Members of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade went to Jordan recently to look at the conditions. Conditions in Lebanon are getting worse. If Ireland has a voice, it must speak out about what is happening in that part of the world. It is unacceptable and it will lead to further bloodshed, hurt and families suffering. The decision not to renew the arms embargo is a retrograde step. I call on the Taoiseach to use whatever influence he has on the rest of the Council to bring some common sense to the issue.

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