Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Young people who are already on the live register may be put off from taking up temporary employment due to a fear of going back to social welfare at a reduced rate. I know this is part of a broader debate but when we quote live register figures in Ireland, we also are citing, as the Minister knows, those who are in part-time work. That is a pity. That puts us down as a nation. There are more opportunities there for young people at a part-time level than are acknowledged in the high figures.

The announcement of €14 million of the youth guarantee funding without a completed plan for the guarantee or a report from the pilot project in Ballymun means that it is unclear what impact the youth guarantee will have for our young people. The Minister might tell us about the plan she has in that respect. To cut €32 million from welfare payments without any real plan for the youth guarantee is unacceptable. It is unequal and could set up young people to fall into the poverty trap.

It is unclear how training places will be distributed, how effective they will be or how they will match labour market demand. It is highly questionable to cut social welfare payments without having a real snapshot of training needs. It could be a premature move. In this amendment, I am asking the Minister to lay a report before the Oireachtas outlining her plan for those between the ages of 18 and 26. The people in that group are not homogenous. They are not all the same. We need to see a plan that sets out the training opportunities and activation measures that are available for early school leavers, those who have finished the leaving certificate, graduates and postgraduates. That entire cohort fills the eight-year gap to which I refer.

I would like to mention an issue of concern for those of us who are worried about mental health issues. Some young lads and girls do not get on with their families. Many young people cannot rely on family supports to get by. They are being asked to cover their rent, transport, food and general living costs from a weekly payment of €100. There could be a threat that serious issues such as homelessness will get worse as a result of this measure. We need to be particularly concerned about cases in which there are mental health issues. Can the Minister track these people? Is she working with the HSE in this area? I am hoping to get answers to the many questions I have asked. Young people who are out there on their own might find it hard to meet their accommodation, food and transport costs, etc., following the cut from €188 to €100 a week. If they have mental health issues, we could be risking making them homeless. This is a very serious issue.

Many highly skilled and qualified graduates who have been unable to find work here following the completion of their degrees have been forced to emigrate. What activation and education measures are being offered to those who are still here? They are already highly skilled. What will the youth guarantee specifically do for them? Labour market activation does not start with cuts to basic low-level social welfare payments. People in this demographic group will receive €88 less than people over the age of 26. Separation based purely on age is not a plan. Labour market activation comes from real learning opportunities. It should reflect labour market needs and demands. Job creation must be a priority in that context. Essentially, the Minister needs to examine this eight-year age group. Specific measures are required to assist early school leavers, those who have finished the leaving certificate, graduates and postgraduates. What is the overall plan for that group?

I accept that the Government is serious about incentivising work and supporting training and education among our young people, but that does not mean it is doing the right things. At a very minimum, it must give a commitment to use the €32 million that will be saved as a result of these cuts for investment in the youth guarantee, among other measures. The current level of such investment stands at less than half of that amount. I hope my proposal will receive support across the House. I will not push it to a vote this evening, but I will consider doing so on Report Stage. If the Minister gives a commitment to ensuring a plan will be laid before the House to address those issues, there will be no division on this issue. We need to set targets. There is no question about the Government's good intentions, but that does not mean it is doing the right thing. If we are to do the right thing, we must focus on the needs of this age group and on how to move them towards work today and into the future.