Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

At this stage the people want us to get back to discussing the real issues of the day, such as how we can accelerate the success of the Action Plan for Jobs. How can we get more people back to work? We all welcome the fact that the live register figures published yesterday show a further decrease in the numbers unemployed. Employment is now at its highest level since 2009. The numbers on the live register have fallen by 4% since the launch of the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs, from 15.1% in February 2012 to 11.1% in September 2014. It is firmly on track to create the 100,000 jobs that it promised in the programme for Government. Could we invite the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, to the House in the next week or two to discuss how we can help spread employment opportunities to the regions and further help small businesses create much-needed employment in the rural communities that many in this House represent?

In light of the number of very serious and tragic accidents on farms in recent weeks I would like to have a discussion with the Minister for Education and Skills about how to include a health and safety segment in the school curriculum so that young people, whether living on farms or travelling our roads, can be made much more aware of the hazards associated with large, high-powered equipment because tragedies such as those we have seen recently cannot be allowed to continue. Too many families have been bereaved as a result of accidents that could have been prevented.