Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It was only towards the end of her contribution that she referred to the substance of the motion. I always find it ironic when she lectures us about responsible opposition having listened to her between 2007 and 2011. The Minister lecturing about responsible opposition is like Silvio Berlusconi lecturing about fidelity and compliance. When she was on this side of the House, responsible opposition was about getting her elected and bringing a few party colleagues with her. She abused the Opposition earlier and did not acknowledge the ambition of the youth guarantee. We all buy into, believe and support that but the implementation of the guarantee is weak and it is being let down. She has resources at her disposal if she is willing to use them. She loves lecturing employers. She tells them that they have a critical role and that is the case but by forcing them to cover additional sick pay and abolishing the redundancy rebate they used to receive them with her Department targeting them in the past three budgets, she is taking away their ability to play that role to give opportunities to people.

She has introduced good schemes, including JobsPlus, but they are the equivalent of putting a finger in a dam. Perhaps whoever responds on behalf of the Government will reply tomorrow about why the national training fund is not being used. Why are Ministers not acknowledging there is a problem with 59,000 people needing an opportunity when there are resources which should be matched to them but this is not happening? If they did, we might begin to believe the ministerial spin. If anything comes out of the debate, at least I hope I get an answer to that question and a commitment on the part of the Government parties to not just spin the guarantee, but to implement it and to say to the 59,000 people aged under 25 who do not have an opportunity that they believe in them and that their future lies in Ireland, not in Canada.

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