Ivana Bacik (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I like to think so.

Senator White raised the very important issue of emigration. Unfortunately it is not a new phenomenon for us and it has had a devastating impact on Irish society not to mention the economy over many decades. I think everyone would agree on that. It is obviously a priority for the Government to tackle it. The Senator should look at the annual report on the programme for Government for 2015 which was published yesterday. It lists and documents fairly enough the measures that are being put in place to tackle, in particular the issue of youth unemployment, which the Senator rightly linked with emigration, in order to ensure that more young people can come home. The two issues are closely linked and I know the Senator has done considerable work on them. The issue of education and training for young people is also inextricably linked because of course that significantly enhances people's job prospects.

As I think the Senator acknowledged, the Government's record on job creation is really strong. As yesterday's report sets out, 90,000 new jobs have been created since 2012. Unemployment is now down to 10.1% from a crisis peak of over 15%. We are all aware of those figures, but behind them are human stories of people who are now in jobs and were not two or three years ago. That is highly significant. Youth unemployment is still too high, but it has been reduced by 30% in the four years of the Government. In this coming academic year 23,000 jobseekers will be supported on back-to-education programmes and 28,000 places will be provided under the new Youth Guarantee scheme. I was a huge advocate, as the Senator was, of the European Youth Guarantee project, which was a big highlight of the European Parliament elections last year. I think we will see the benefit of that in terms of young people.

In addition we have, of course, significant funding for the regional action plan to bring jobs recovery to every region to ensure it is not just confined to urban areas. A great deal of work is being done on the specific issues the Senator raised. Undoubtedly we should have a debate on the issue and I am very happy to seek that debate as she has requested.

Senator Paul Coghlan raised concerns about what is going on with the welfare Bill in Northern Ireland and with welfare reform. He expressed concern, which we all share, that a compromising of the Stormont House Agreement may result. Of course, none of us wants any going back to the days before the peace process. We all join the Senator in wishing the parties involved in the negotiations well in ensuring there is a resolution of the issues and that the Stormont House Agreement is not compromised. That is very important.

Senator Heffernan raised a very important issue that is close to my heart about the documentary programme "India's Daughter" which deals with the notorious and barbaric incident where a medical student was gang-raped and died as a result in 2012. It was an appalling incident. I absolutely agree with the Senator that in India that case in particular has highlighted the really appalling levels of sex crime against women and a patriarchal culture that appears to facilitate or enable and certainly does not do anything to bring perpetrators to justice. That is a real concern, obviously for Indian society, but also for us.

The Senator also mentioned Irish Aid programmes in India and commented on how excellent and well managed they are, which is good to hear. I am happy to request that the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Reilly, on his visit to India next week in addition to witnessing the Irish Aid projects - I am sure he will be doing that as part of his visit - would also request the Indian Government to ensure the documentary is not censored in India. I absolute agree with the Senator that is a very important request we can make. It is important for Ireland and other countries to put pressure on the Indian Government to ensure that documentary is not censored.

Senator Colm Burke raised the economy and the achievements of Government in tackling unemployment. I think I have dealt with that. He also dealt with the very specific issue of delays in professional registration for emigrants returning from abroad. The Senator is right; this is a very serious issue. We need to fast-track professional registration to facilitate people returning. I have certainly heard of delays in professional registration for individuals who are not necessarily Irish and were qualified abroad, and are coming to take up work here to provide much-needed skills and expertise to our society. This is a big issue and the Senator is right to raise it. We might consider having a debate in the House on the issue.

Senator Leyden raised the issue of the drugs Bill that we will be debating after the Order of Business. He rightly pointed out that there might be a need for the Attorney General to review the impact of this week's judgment by Mr. Justice Hogan in other areas. I am sure that is already being done. All parties commented favourably last night on the speed with which the Government moved to address this lacuna.Clearly, it was anticipated that the judgment might go this way, and there was legislation ready. We will have a full debate on that. There is a prospect of a Supreme Court appeal by the State in the case, so this may not be the end of the story.

The Senator asked that the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, come to the House to discuss an issue concerning Castlerea. I suggest that he raise this as a Commencement matter and invite the Minister of State to address it very specifically.

Senator Ó Clochartaigh spoke as Gaeilge so I hope I respond accurately. He offered his condolences on the very sad death of Paul Drury. We all join him in that regard. Mr. Drury was a very fine journalist. The Senator also spoke about his briefing in the AV room with the Free Legal Advice Centres on the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural rights. It is a very important issue, which, as the Senator knows, was considered by the Constitutional Convention. A recommendation was made for the inclusion of recognition of economic, social and cultural rights in the Constitution. However, the report of the convention recommended that some more work be done on determining the best way to ensure constitutional recognition. The Labour Party and I support the recognition of the rights in the Constitution, but determining how best that can be done without undermining unduly the doctrine of the separation of powers is legally complex. We teased this out at length at the Constitutional Convention and it was of great interest. It is a matter on which we can continue to work. We might have a debate in this House on the convention's report. Perhaps that would be the best way to address the matter.

I am sure the Senator will be raising the Irish language in the debate on Seachtain na Gaeilge, which will be taking place at 1.30 p.m. today.