Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach knows how to throw plenty of buzzwords into his long speeches, and there were plenty in that intervention. We are hearing about entrepreneurship, Construction 2020 and a so-called national talent drive - I am a little unsure what that is or what it means. There were multiple references to research and development and innovation and so on. The reality is that the Taoiseach has a habit of making vague aspirational statements. Some months ago, he committed to undertaking specific steps to encourage young people who have emigrated in recent years to come back to Ireland. Many of them are from my generation. Many are young teachers, nurses, doctors or people who had aspirations to work or were working in the construction sector when the bottom fell out of that market. There are multiple factors contributing to the fact that young people - those of my generation and younger - are not returning to our shores in big numbers. Low graduate pay for young new entrants into particular professions is a significant factor. Recently, the Taoiseach and the Government were engaged in secret negotiations with the trade unions to agree so-called pay restoration for members of the public service. What the Taoiseach did not prioritise was the case of those who have taken the biggest hit and who have been hung out to dry by their representative bodies and successive governments in the past seven or eight years. They include young teachers, young nurses and non-consultant hospital doctors, many of whom are now in Australia, Canada and elsewhere.

The issue of housing is a serious concern. In Dublin, in particular, there is no housing supply. The Government's plan, devised in conjunction with Mr. Parlon and the Construction Industry Federation, aptly named Construction 2020, has little to do with providing housing for our citizens. It is failing and will fail because it is not about ensuring a quality supply of affordable housing. One egregious disgrace was the letter sent by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and the relevant Minister of State some weeks ago demanding that building regulations be relaxed and taking the view that this is somehow going to translate into the provision of housing in Dublin or throughout the country for our young people. It is not. It is going to reduce quality and ensure that we have poor standards of housing. It will do nothing to deal with the problem of supply.

Another issue of significant concern for the younger generation is the fact that for a working couple or family to be able to continue working and have a family and children, they have to pay for child care. Child care is now on a par with paying for a mortgage in this country. The Government has done nothing to address this, despite promises from both Government parties when in opposition. I realise that the Taoiseach's former colleague in Cabinet, the former Minister, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, said that this was the sort of thing people do in political parties - they make promises in opposition and then get into government and do not deliver on them. That has certainly been the case with regard to child care. Nothing has happened. Child care in Dublin is now averaging well over €1,000 per month. That is on a par with the cost of meeting mortgage payments. It is becoming prohibitive and is one of the major factors which acts as a disincentive to younger people from coming home.

There are no proposals on the table in respect of tax breaks for child care or the roll-out of community child care provision, nothing whatsoever. All of these contribute to the disincentives for the younger generation returning to our shores, the talent the Taoiseach has spoken about. If there is to be a talent drive it should encourage people back and ensure that there is a sustainable lifestyle; that they can have their children; that they can raise their families in this country; that they can aspire to career progression; that they will be treated fairly; and that they will not be squeezed at the mercy of a government which wants to buy off particular sectors in our society in the run-up to an election, or by trade unions which want to look after particular sectors of their membership. Rather, the interests of our citizens, abroad and at home, should be prioritised and should be the core guiding principle for this Government and any future government.

See this speech in context