Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Tá a fhios agam gur inniu Lá na Gaeilge agus beimid ag baint úsáide as an Ghaeilge agus an Béarla. We welcome the improvement in the employment figures, but when one looks at the breakdown and the population figures, there were 13,500 fewer people aged between 15 and 34 employed compared with 12 months previously. The number of 15 to 24 year olds in the workforce fell by 11,900 and there is a further drop of 24,700 in the number of people aged 25 to 34. We raised the issue recently with the Minister in the Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. We have a problem in the population cohort I indicated. At the time the Minister attributed it to demographic changes but the reality is that emigration is a key issue and I look forward to discussing his proposals in the area.

See this speech in context