Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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2. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the steps he will take to promote employment for those considering emigration and the number of emigrants that have returned to take up employment. [42820/13]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The number of Irish emigrants who have returned to Ireland in the past two years is estimated at 36,000. The CSO does not track their subsequent entry to employment. At a macro level, the Government's strategy is to rebuild the economy and accelerate the transition to a sustainable, jobs-rich economy based on enterprise, innovation and exports. It is in this way that we will create the environment in which sustainable jobs will be created, living standards will be raised and Ireland will be regarded as an attractive location in which to live and work.

I fully recognise the increase in emigration that has occurred since the onset of our economic crisis. I firmly believe that job creation is the most effective policy to tackle emigration. This Department's focus is on employment creation in the enterprise sector. We are doing this through the Action Plan for Jobs and have already seen the positive results of the action being taken across the whole of Government to support the enterprise sector to sustain existing jobs and create new ones. In the past 12 months, an estimated 39,000 jobs have been created in the private sector. It is estimated that over 90% of new jobs have gone to Irish nationals. These opportunities go to a mix of people - some leaving the live register, some entering the labour market for the first time and some returning emigrants. There are many initiatives from other Departments that seek to provide alternative routes for those who might be considering emigration. JobBridge, Springboard, Momentum and JobPlus are all new initiatives supplementing existing programmes in FÁS and the Department of Social Protection.

Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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While 56,000 people came into the State, the CSO figures illustrate that 89,000 people have emigrated over the past year. This figure translates to 1,700 people leaving every week. The recent National Youth Council report found that a quarter of the population had a direct experience of emigration of a close family member and that half of all 18 to 24-year-olds would consider emigrating. We are losing a generation. The Government cannot kid itself that this is acceptable or a lifestyle choice. The recent UCC study by Emigre Project found that 62% of emigrants were graduates. Surprisingly, 47% were in full-time employment while 13% worked part-time and only 23% were unemployed. Most left due to lack of opportunity. Only 22% believe that it is likely that they will return in the next three years.

Since the Government came to power, 43% of the jobs created have been part-time and over one third of all part-time workers are under-employed. What is the Government doing to develop high-quality, full-time jobs and opportunities? What target is it setting to reduce emigration and what targets has the Minister set for getting returning emigrants into employment in the State?

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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I did not in any way indicate that the level of emigration was satisfactory. Virtually all of the 39,000 jobs created in the past 12 months are full-time. The figures quoted by the Deputy were earlier in the recovery period. What we are seeing is that, initially, there was a concentration on part-time work but as job expansion has gained a foothold, we are seeing a predominance of full-time employment so that is an improvement.

I acknowledge that there is a very significant loss of people with graduate skills. That is undoubtedly the case. Our target has essentially been one of 100,000 additional people at work. That has been the target we set and at the core of that is a successful enterprise strategy. The allocation of those opportunities as between people coming from the live register, people entering the labour market for the first time or returning emigrants is not easy to influence. I see our primary task as creating the opportunities. The pattern has been that in previous recessions, when we get a recovery going, many of the people who left during the recession return with considerable skills and experience. Our central focus is to make this economy strong and sustainable and ensure that the employment sectors we grow are deeply rooted and that people can have confidence in them.

Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister for his response but I must say that I believe the Government needs to take emigration seriously and set targets for return. It must be about creating full-time employment and actively encouraging emigrants to return and central to this must be targets.

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Setting targets for return is tricky. Undoubtedly, we will see a return when we have a strong economy. The Deputy indicated that there is an ebb and flow every year of people who leave Ireland and come back. Even during the boom, 13,000 people were leaving Ireland.

Even now a significant number of Irish people are coming back. The tide ebbs and flows.

I acknowledge that an issue arises in regard to mismatch of skills. We must ensure a closer connection between the choices young people make in education and the opportunities that are available to them. That is a challenge and it is well known we cannot fill positions in certain areas from Irish trained people. We need to work on ways to allow more people to find opportunities at home. Work is being done in that regard through Springboard and the Minister for Education and Skills has committed to doubling the number of ICT graduates over a five year period as part of a joint initiative with my Department. Positive programmes are being developed to address the question of appropriate skills for the growth sectors.