Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy makes a very constructive suggestion. I will work with others. It is an important point in terms of the development of community initiatives in north and east Dublin, similar to the former RAPID programmes. In other words, we need a multidisciplinary, concentrated approach to areas that have experienced significant disadvantage, in particular areas where there are low levels of school completion. We must attack this issue in a combined way involving agencies and Departments. I will examine the Deputy's proposal.

On the proposal which the Deputy put forward last week on the Order of Business in regard to the utilisation of the public service in terms of internships, I brought it to the heart of Government to the Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform in the context of the stimulus programme. I agree with the Deputy that we need to give more opportunities to young people in the current crisis in respect of both the public service and the private sector.

See this speech in context