Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join colleagues in expressing our deepest sympathy to the families who have lost loved ones in one of the most beautiful parts of the world, Baltimore in Cork. Senator O'Donovan explained matters very movingly. It is difficult to comprehend that something like this should happen; such a freak accident. It is a message we need to get out from here today to all our citizens that as the fine weather sets in and people are tempted to take to the waters at our beaches and rivers, they must exercise extreme caution at all times.

I join Senator Bacik in encouraging all colleagues to stand with the Bosnian community next Tuesday at Leinster House to mark the 20th anniversary of the appalling genocide at Srebrenica. We must never lose sight of what happened there and keep our eyes on the ball to ensure we never see a repeat of that, albeit there is evidence that atrocities almost as grave are happening in other parts of the world.

I ask the Leader to organise a debate in the House with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, at the start of the next term on the Action Plan for Jobs. It is very welcome that figures published yesterday show the unemployment rate at its lowest since 2009. According to the CSO, the unemployment rate now stands at 9.7% down from 11.4% at the same time last year. There are now 335,900 more people at work than in June 2014. The percentage of male unemployed is still very high at 10.8% while the percentage of unemployed females is at 8.3%. There was a very significant development during the week when the first of the regional plans under the Action Plan for Jobs was launched. The plan is for the midlands and it is the first of a series of eight regional plans, which is the element we really need to discuss with the Minister. We want to see how each of the regions can build on their strengths and determine how we can have seamless collaboration between all agencies, local authorities and the private sector to secure quality jobs right around the country. What was announced in the midlands during the week included the establishment of a midlands manufacturing technology campus. It will have a major spin off. I want to ensure that when the western regional plan is launched, towns like Ballinasloe, which have been particularly badly hit over the last decade, will start to see some worthwhile jobs being created. I would like a debate with the Minister on the very successful Action Plan for Jobs to discuss how we can give it a little bit more momentum to reduce the unemployment figure which is still too high at 9%.