Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted Ms Prendergast, MEP, is before the House because she and I soldiered together in a previous Seanad. Attending a recent EU meeting in my role as a member of the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs, I learned that the digital single market is not making as much progress as it should. If we were to get our act together in this area, we could increase gross domestic product, GDP, by 2%, which would have a major impact on the economy and level of unemployment. I ask Ms Prendergast to provide a brief report on Ireland's progress in meeting the directive on the EU digital single market, for example, in the area of e-signatures and so forth.

I am greatly concerned about the youth guarantee scheme. Addressing the Seanad, Professor Christopher Pissarides stated the scheme did not offer value for money as it would provide very little for young people who are out of work. While the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, may have good intentions, the scheme could have a poor return and result in billions of euro being poured down the drain. Will Members of the European Parliament have an open mind on the scheme? We need to spend the national funds being committed to it in a manner that achieves the best return.

Anything less than an internship of six to nine months is too little, whereas I understand it is planned that the youth guarantee scheme will offer young people internships of only three to four months. Those who participate will be required to leave the scheme just as they are becoming familiar with the job or training post. The scheme is rubbish. Let us do the right thing and spend the money well. While I accept that Ms Prendergast cannot answer every question, I ask her to outline other ways in which money could be spent to help young people who are unemployed. We should not put all our eggs in one basket.