Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I did not in any way indicate that the level of emigration was satisfactory. Virtually all of the 39,000 jobs created in the past 12 months are full-time. The figures quoted by the Deputy were earlier in the recovery period. What we are seeing is that, initially, there was a concentration on part-time work but as job expansion has gained a foothold, we are seeing a predominance of full-time employment so that is an improvement.

I acknowledge that there is a very significant loss of people with graduate skills. That is undoubtedly the case. Our target has essentially been one of 100,000 additional people at work. That has been the target we set and at the core of that is a successful enterprise strategy. The allocation of those opportunities as between people coming from the live register, people entering the labour market for the first time or returning emigrants is not easy to influence. I see our primary task as creating the opportunities. The pattern has been that in previous recessions, when we get a recovery going, many of the people who left during the recession return with considerable skills and experience. Our central focus is to make this economy strong and sustainable and ensure that the employment sectors we grow are deeply rooted and that people can have confidence in them.

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