Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Youth unemployment is still double the rate it was at the start of the recession in 2008. The latest EU labour force figures show that Ireland is one of the ten European countries where youth unemployment exceeds 20%. The EU survey also shows that 15% of Ireland's youth were not in employment, education or training last year. If we take into account the thousands who were forced to emigrate, the figures for youth unemployment would be well over 30%.

CSO figures published last month show an overall unemployment rate in September of 9.4% and we all welcome the progress made to date. However, at the other end of the spectrum, the seasonally adjusted youth unemployment rate, which is defined as covering 15 to 24 year olds without a job, is now at 20.06%. In addition, the live register figures indicate that 65,600 people of all ages were on activation and training schemes and these are not counted in the jobless total.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers survey released this week pointed out that Ireland is losing billions because we are failing to tap into the potential of our youth. It points to high levels of unemployment and low levels of participation in job training, vocational education and apprenticeships. The PwC report also concluded that core European countries such as Germany, Switzerland and Austria offer the best role models in developing the potential of youth through a system of education and vocational training. We are many years behind these other countries. It is obvious that we are not tapping into the potential of our youth.

What joint action are the Ministers for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Education and Skills and Social Protection taking? There are huge deficiencies out there. What are they doing to minimise the number of people who are falling through the labour net with the various good schemes we need to address the matter?

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