Before the debate was adjourned I referred to the type of employment which many Members consider desirable, but which consciously or unconsciously is not being developed in the economic environment in which we live, that of repair and maintenance-based industries. I referred to the MOT test initiative which is welcome in so far as it is a step in the right direction, but it will only be required in respect of four-year-old vehicles. That appears to encourage replacement of newer vehicles rather than the maintenance of vehicles for a longer period, but that remains to be seen. I hope this point will be taken into account and that it might result in a revised decision. Many forms of work are recognised as labour intensive. We should consider as many ways as possible to encourage rather than discourage — as often happens — that type of employment.
It would be remiss of me not to mention the area of organic growing in the context of the difficulties faced by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Deputy Yates, as a result of the BSE crisis and the lack of public confidence in the food production sector. The problem in that sector is not only one of a lack of public confidence, but also one of employment. A great number of people have left the land and the agricultural sector is diminishing as a primary area of employment. That could be reversed and dealt with, but it requires a generous understanding of the potential of organic farming, which still appears to be a poor relation in the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
The Kerbside company deals with a socially useful area of employment, that of reducing the amount of waste going to landfill sites through recovery and recycling, but unfortunately it is virtually totally dependent on FÁS initiatives and schemes. That cannot continue indefinitely because it will not allow the initiative to develop to its maximum extent. Kerbside would be capable of dealing with a far greater number of households.
Recently in the Dáil the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht welcomed the initiative from the Opposition to introduce legislation on the preservation of old buildings, particularly their interiors. This work will be carried out by craft industries which are labour intensive to preserve our architectural heritage. It will require a change of direction in the construction industry to allow this sector reach its full potential, which is considerable in terms of job creation.
Many of the sectors to which I have referred do not provide full-time employment. I have often heard it said, in disparaging terms, that unless one is employed for 40 hours per week one does not have a "real" job. Those in part-time, seasonal and short-term contract employment are aggrieved about this. Increasingly, these are the only jobs available. The Green Party has recognised for a long time that this trend is much stronger than any Government initiative aimed at reversing it.
We should seek instead to supplement the incomes of those in part-time employment through the introduction of a guaranteed basic income scheme. This will be of interest to the many non-governmental organisations working with people living in poverty and in low paid employment. While the ideas of the Conference of Religious of Ireland may not be in line with mine, in terms of the way forward they are much more perceptive than those of the Government, many of whose initiatives are aimed at reversing these work patterns.
I urge the Government to be courageous given that, in its own words, the economy is doing well and there is the potential to make the changes we were not in a position to make in the past. It should depart from old style, traditional employment policies which have failed to tackle long-term unemployment in a realistic fashion. All they have done is tinker round the edges.
It has to be recognised that we are being sucked further and further into the global economy with all the instability that entails. If one looks at the detail, the outlook is frightening. Under GATT and other international agreements we are required to introduce free trade arrangements. There is potential, however, to develop the local economy. In France, for instance, local wine, bread and cheese production has long been cherished as part of its culture.
Local economic activity is not dependent on the use of standard currency. I refer in particular to the traditional Irish system of the meitheal. Deputy Mattie Brennan referred to the difficulties encountered by apprentices seeking employment. It would be worth his while and that of others with an interest in this matter to examine the potential of what has become known as LETS, local employment trading system, first introduced in Canada but now found worldwide. It is in operation in 35 locations throughout the country.
The local community in Westport has listed in a mini Golden Pages all the skills possessed by the unemployed, including carpentry, plumbing, tiling, bricklaying as well as mundane skills such as dog walking. A local value or unit of currency over which the local community has control has been put on each of these valuable skills. In this way its members are able to trade among themselves, hone skills of use to them in the formal economy to which they aspire and achieve a reasonable standard of living for themselves and their families.
The point is not often aired in the House that, as well as looking at the formal economy, we must examine the potential of the informal economy to tackle long-term unemployment in support of the efforts of the NESF.
