Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

What we are doing is very different from what was done in the United Kingdom and, as such, it is wrong to make comparisons. The baseline measurements, for example, are completely different. Further, one of the companies involved is a not-for-profit entity.

I visited the two pilot projects in Bray and Longford.

I made it my business to not only to meet the staff working there, who were assisting and helping to prepare personal progression plans, but also to meet the people who have access to the facility in that regard. This reminds me of the type of attack first put together in respect of Tús, which has been remarkably successful. Then, I was lobbied heavily, including by Members of the Opposition, to extend Tús to be self-referring. I expanded it to 20%.

We have had an unemployment crisis. We had over 15% of people unemployed. Thankfully, we are now down to 8.8%. As we move out of recession and into recovery I want to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to share in that recovery as well as the opportunity to work with people to ensure they can get the skills and access the opportunities that are now coming into the economy. I am very keen for that to take place.

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