Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Máire Devine raised the issues of youth employment and lone parents. I welcome her recognition that the Bill constitutes progress in some areas and that Sinn Féin will not oppose it.

It is worth noting that youth employment has more than halved from approximately 30% to roughly 15% since my party came to office. It is falling faster than unemployment for other adults. Ireland is not unique in having reduced rates of jobseeker's payments for young unemployed persons. Britain and Northern Ireland also have lower rates. As the Senator will be aware, social welfare is not the sole competence of Westminster as it is shared with the DUP-Sinn Féin coalition in Northern Ireland. In addition, the cut-off age for lone parents is not seven or 12 years in Northern Ireland but five years.