Youth jobseeker report
Deputy Brady complained that a promised report on reduced rates for young jobseekers was years overdue and sought immediate publication. The Taoiseach said he would ask the Minister about it and would expect publication unless there was a good reason not to.
A report on the impact of reduced rates on young jobseekers was due to be published in 2016, as per the commitment in Pathways to Work. More than three years later and, quite coincidentally, on the same day that I submitted a freedom of information request to the Minister on communications with her Department relating to the report, the report landed on the Minister's desk. That was on 3 December. The Minister has refused to publish the report because she says she wants to read it and discuss it with her officials. She has not published the report, as was committed to. She said she would furnish the report to the committee. That the Minister has to read the report does not stop her publishing it.
Comment on this
Will the Taoiseach ensure that this report, which is more than three years late, is published without delay? Unless it contains something to hide, it should be published straight away.
Comment on this
Will the Taoiseach commit that the report will be published today?
Comment on this
I will certainly ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, about it this week. If there is no good reason not to publish it, then I am sure it will be published. I should point out that unemployment today in Ireland is at its lowest level in 13 years, and there are more people at work than ever before, so we must have been getting some of our employment policies right in recent years.