Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Question 40: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of times the task force on unemployment has met; the Ministers that attended in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44503/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The high-level group on labour market issues was established under the provisions of Towards 2016: Review and Transitional Agreement 2008-2009, which was ratified in October 2008. The high-level group is chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach and comprises two representatives from each of the social partner pillars and senior officials from several Departments. The group met in January of this year. A framework for a pact for stabilisation, social solidarity and economic renewal was negotiated with the social partners in late January. This pact covered a range of areas, including maximising employment and helping those who lose their jobs.

Members of the high-level group were also among the participants in a meeting held on 24 September 2009 to provide suggestions arising from the practical experience of active labour market programmes. The ideas raised on that occasion are feeding into current work in the area of further activation initiatives.

The Cabinet sub-committee has co-ordinated a range of innovative and significant actions for protecting jobs and assisting those who become unemployed to return to the labour market. Labour market issues have been discussed at ten of the Cabinet committee's 14 meetings.

The new actions include doubling of the provision of training and work experience places managed by FÁS to over 130,000; increasing the referral capacity of FÁS employment services from the Department of Social and Family Affairs to 147,000 persons in 2009; and establishing the employment subsidy scheme to protect, directly or indirectly, over approximately 80,000 jobs at a total cost of €135 million over 2009 and 2010. I assure the House that the area of employment, in all its facets, is a central priority for the Government.

Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I understand from the Minister's reply that the group met only once, last January, and that no Ministers are members. It is chaired by the Taoiseach.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of the Taoiseach.

Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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There is no ministerial representation at all in the group and it has met only once. I cannot believe this at a time in which unemployment is increasing rapidly and affecting young people under 25 in particular. To whom does the group report? When was it established? The Minister stated it was established under the provisions of Towards 2016: Review and Transitional Agreement 2008-2009. That the group has met only once is extraordinary, certainly at a time when the unemployment rate is so high.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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As I indicated, it is part of the social partnership programme. The group has been superseded by the Cabinet sub-committee on economic renewal, which has discussed labour activation measures at every meeting. The group is a high-level group and is made up of officials. It is not a ministerial group. The ministerial work is done through the Cabinet sub-committee. The work of the high-level group feeds into that of the Cabinet sub-committee in addition to other areas.

Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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It has met on only one occasion.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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What is happening is that its work is being superseded by the work of myself, the Minister for Social and Family Affairs and the Minister for Education and Science.

Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Is there any point in having the group at all?

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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It is a part of the social partnership group. What has happened arising from that-----

Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Is it a sop?

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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No. There was a meeting in September 2009 to analyse the labour market activation programmes. The committee had points to make on these yesterday and I will be taking them on board in the context of quality assurance. It is important to reiterate that the group has been superseded by the Cabinet sub-committee, which has met almost every fortnight. All these matters are discussed at political level and implementation is carried out by the high-level group of senior officials.

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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There is an awful problem in that there are too many committees and sidebars. If one attends our committee and listens to politicians who are in contact with the people, one will note they are making suggestions every day, as they are paid to do. A profitable step would be to scrap half the committees. Reducing VAT and having PRSI exemptions would actually help to sustain and create employment and address the issue of competitiveness, particularly with regard to Government charges. That is the way forward. There is no need to bring in any more accountancy or legal firms or social partners. It is a landscape which anybody can paint and anyone can put forward solutions. We should have no more committees. We should throw ourselves fully into the one black spot in the country, namely, the current rate of unemployment. As Deputy Varadkar said earlier, half of our deficit is made up of unemployment benefit and social welfare payments. There is a simple solution. Let us all pull the rope the one way and forget about committees.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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That is exactly what has happened. The Cabinet sub-committee on economic renewal is now the main committee dealing with all these issues. Competitiveness, energy, tourism and education are all interlinked and are all under the auspices of one Cabinet sub-committee. The implementation of policy is done through the high level group or additional work is put back into the committee. Any decisions must go to the Cabinet for final appraisal. There is one group which is completely focused and is representative of all Departments, depending on the agenda. The activation agenda, the competitiveness agenda and energy are constant issues in the context of the discussions which take place.

Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Is the Minister telling us it is completely superfluous?

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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One cannot talk to the social partners every day.