Forestry Jobs Programme
Hyland urges the Minister to negotiate with Social Welfare on a forestry job-creation programme, arguing that public money should employ people in forestry rather than support unemployment. O’Toole rejects this as an oversimplified solution; the exchange becomes heated, and the Ceann Comhairle repeatedly calls for order.
Is there co-operation between the Minister and his colleague, the Minister for Social Welfare, in terms of job creation? There is tremendous potential for job creation in the forestry industry. The Minister for Social Welfare is making unlimited amounts of money available to keep people unemployed. Will this Minister immediately enter into negotiations with the Minister for Social Welfare with a view of providing a job creation programme in the area of forestry?
Comment on this
Every forester will tell the Minister that there is great job potential in this area and the Minister is failing to provide these jobs. The answer he gave today was that he did not have sufficient money available to do so. Will the Minister enter into discussions with his colleague, the Minister for Social Welfare——
Comment on this
While what is being proposed by Deputy Hyland might sound laudable and worthwhile, it is an oversimplistic view of the problems we face in the unemployment area. It is so simplistic I will not comment on it. This is the kind of drivel that is being dished up day in and day out as a solution to our unemployment problems. Fianna Fáil on this side of the House were faced with the same problems and found that solution unacceptable because——
Comment on this
The Minister is spending public money keeping people unemployed when they could be employed in the forestry industry.
Comment on this
The Minister is talking about drivel when I am bringing forward what is an obvious solution——