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

On the point made by Deputy Kerrane concerning the local employment services and job clubs, there has been considerable discussion about this in the House and, indeed, within the Government. The Minister has received significant legal advice in respect of the European directive and the need to adhere to it. The Minister, in the designing of the tendering process and framework, has put a fairly high premium on community involvement and engagement. In some cases, that is a key factor in terms of capacity to be successful in tendering for a variety of these services. The Minister has received very strong legal advice regarding what she can and cannot do.

We acknowledge that in certain areas there has been a more community-based approach, especially in areas of high disadvantage. We will continue to look at those. The Minister has taken on board quite a number of the representations people have made on the issue. There is only so far she can go, however, because of legal constraints in respect of tendering, the need to tender and so forth.

The situation right now is that there are shortages all over in various sectors, including the hospitality sector and construction. I can recall not so long ago people in the House saying we should keep the pandemic unemployment payment going and keep this and that going. The reality now is that many sectors have lots of vacancies and they do not have enough people within society and within the economy to fill the jobs that are available. We have a different kind of problem now in respect of economic growth and development, coming back from the Covid situation when restrictions have been lifted not just here but everywhere. That is creating its own challenges in terms of inflation and so on. It is impacting on our economic recovery insofar as the cost of living is very much impacting on people and causing them a lot of pressure.

I will raise with the Minister again the issue the Deputy has raised here today. I am familiar enough with the issues. There is a need in certain areas to make sure we have tailor-made services. I spoke recently to a community representative who said to me it is not really about job activation or about jobs first. It is about getting people in terms of training and acclimatisation, because with the difficulties and challenges people have had in their lives, we need a whole range of programmes to get them even thinking of progressing to employment. That has to be factored in to whatever services are provided.

To Deputy Boyd Barrett, my view is that no one in a homelessness situation should be removed or asked to leave a homeless accommodation environment just because his or her income went up. If that person is still homeless, he or she should be facilitated to stay in the facility until that person gets a social house. There needs to be a common-sense perspective applied by the local authorities in that situation.

See this speech in context