Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Some of the opportunities that will be available for young people include the following: commencing on 1 January next payment under the JobsPlus initiative of a €300 per month subsidy to an employer who takes on a person unemployed for six months will, I believe, be attractive to employers; an additional in-take of 1,500 young people on to JobBridge; 1,000 Tús scheme places targeted at young people; development of a pilot programme to support approximately 250 young unemployed people where there are opportunities under EURES; and ring-fencing of a minimum of 2,000 training places for the under 25s under the successful Momentum programme operated by the Department of Education and Skills, with income supports for participants provided by the Department of Social Protection. The Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation will also make approximately €2.5 million in funding available next year to young entrepreneurs via Microfinance Ireland and other business start-up schemes. These measures are in addition to the significant existing spend of approximately €170 million on employment training and further education programmes for young people.

I know that Deputy Broughan and other Deputies have been heavily involved in supporting community employment and training initiatives. Is any Member here seriously suggesting that life on social welfare at the age of 18 years is better than being in employment, education or training? Is this the start in life they want for young people? Youth unemployment in this country is a very difficult problem. We must provide mechanisms to get our young people back to education and training, into work experience and, ultimately, into employment. Deputies will be aware of the recently published statistics which indicate 58,000 additional jobs have been created and that the rate of unemployment has decreased from 31% to 26%, which I accept is still too high. Deputies need to come up with ideas and work with us in addressing this issue. I hope they do not see the future of young people in Ireland on the dole as acceptable.

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