Mary White (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support what Senator Colm Burke said, namely, that our priority issue on resuming after the summer recess should be that of unemployment. I remind colleagues that despite the general improvement in employment, we have 19.8% youth employment. That is a very serious issue.

I would like to put on the record that there has been a surge of 8% in the incidence of crime during the past 12 months. Subsequent to that I held a public meeting, entitled "Stop the Burglaries", last Thursday. I was privileged to have a former Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality and the current chairman of Crimestoppers, Mr. Tim Dalton, speak about Crimestoppers at that meeting. I am providing information this morning. Crimestoppers should be used more widely; it is not used adequately. Its establishment was not an Irish idea. The concept of Crimestoppers is used throughout the world in the United States, the United Kingdom and the North. Crimestoppers is partly funded by the Government - the Departments of Justice and Equality and Health - and partly funded by the private sector - Ulster Bank, Neighbourhood Watch, the Vintners Federation of Ireland and DoneDeal. It is important to put on the record that neither the chairman of Crimestoppers nor its organisation committee, representing the interests of the people involved, get paid a fee. It is important to remember that the bottom line is-----