Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

With the permission of the Leas-Chathaoirleach, I will share time with Senator Byrne. I thank the Minister of State for coming before the House and I congratulate him on his appointment. It is an excellent appointment. The urgency and energy he will bring to his portfolio will be very welcome. He can be assured of all our support.

In bringing the Bill before the Seanad, the Minister of State and the Government are recognising the enormous negative impacts of Covid-19, the most tragic of which are, obviously, the loss of life and the ill health of some of our citizens. However, its social and economic impacts have also been significant. The virus has affected people of all ages and sexes. All demographics have been affected by unemployment, but there has been an acute impact on those under 40 years of age. Unemployment spiked across the demographic groups, but the unemployment rate among those under the age of 25 is currently running at 45%, which is alarming. It is a critical situation. It is to be hoped that it will be temporary. The State must make every effort to address it.

Young people put their careers and work lives on hold and showed real solidarity in the heat of the pandemic. The State must show solidarity now with them. We must make every effort to ensure that long-term unemployment does not take hold among young people. Long-term unemployment is very damaging for the individuals concerned. It robs them of their self-esteem and self-worth. It isolates them and prevents them from realising their occupational potential. I urge the Minister of State and the Government to take that sociological threat seriously and to ensure that long-term unemployment does not take hold and become a normalised condition for young people.

It is critically important that the Bill is passed. It seems likely that this will be done today. The Bill follows on from the decision at EU level on 29 May to allow member states to access the funding. I urge the Minister of State and the Government to maximise access to the funds when the Bill is passed in order to prioritise actions that will protect young people, create sustainable jobs, encourage them back in the workforce and give them access not only to quality and sustainable employment but also affordable homes.This is another area that young people are really struggling with. I congratulate the Minister of State on his appointment. He has my full support. I urge him to bring this legislation through with speed so that we can access the funds and make them available to our young people.