Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I seek a debate on the plans for a youth guarantee, which the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, spoke about yesterday when she announced that the Government will advance plans during Ireland's EU Presidency next year for a European youth guarantee to help reduce youth unemployment. This is a very exciting prospect which offers practical possibilities and potential for addressing the seriously high rate of youth unemployment in Ireland and across the EU. We can learn from countries such as Austria and Germany, which have far lower youth unemployment rates and where the idea of a youth guarantee originated. The idea is a guarantee to young people that within four months of becoming unemployed they will receive an apprenticeship, training or combined work and training, if not a job offer. If that guarantee is made, it will give people some hope that there is a viable prospect for them in Ireland. It would be a very important initiative to launch during our EU Presidency starting in January next year.

We have had debates in the House, including with the Tánaiste present, about the plans for Ireland's EU Presidency but the really concrete thing we could do is tie down a guarantee of EU-wide funding for the concept of a youth guarantee. The Minister, Deputy Burton, spoke about the need for the European Commission to provide money from EU Structural Funds or from the European Social Fund. The issue must be tackled on a European-wide basis and the funding must be sourced there. It would be an ideal proposal for our Presidency.

I also wish to express concern, as other Members will, about the two shocking killings yesterday associated with so-called gangland or organised crime. A good deal of media attention has been generated by them. While one does not wish to jump to any conclusions on foot of the events of one day, especially as it appears to be a coincidence of two shootings, one of them took place in the south inner city of Dublin, an area I know well. It is an area where there are a number of schools.

This happened at 8 p.m. on the South Circular Road and there were a lot of children in the vicinity, including a child with the victim. We must examine how we tackle this sort of visible incidence of organised crime in the community. There have been calls for more legislation, and we have seen waves of successive Bills to tackle organised crime, but we should be looking at targeted policing. In Limerick, effective policing methods have resulted in a reduction in gangland crime, particularly in this visible type of crime. A sub-committee of the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality is looking at the issue and I hope, when it has reported, that we will have a debate in this House on policing methods, including the policing of organised crime.