I welcome the good news for Wexford in the announcement that Eistech is to create 250 new jobs in the town. However, this is the first piece of good news for County Wexford in a very long time. The figures for my county are stark. Unemployment stood at nearly 25% at the end of the second quarter, which is one of the worst rates in the country. According to the figures from census 2011, almost 13% of heads of household in the county are unemployed, which is the second highest rate in the country, and the youth unemployment rate, at 47%, is the third highest in the State. The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation indicated while giving a presentation at a south-east forum that County Wexford received only three out of the IDA's 33 visits to the south east to attract foreign direct investment. This is extremely disappointing in light of the statistics I have outlined. Wexford is one if Ireland's largest counties and we are perceived as doing quite well because we are on the eastern seaboard and located relatively close to Dublin. Three visits from the IDA do not instill confidence for the prospect of foreign direct investment in the county, however. I look forward to hearing the Minister's response.
Adjournment Matters
Job Creation
I thank Senator Michael D'Arcy for raising this issue. In the aftermath of the closure of TalkTalk last year I established a special group to focus on the south east because I recognise that it faces serious problems. The structural rate of unemployment is much higher than elsewhere and the wave of investment which preceded the Celtic tiger years passed the region by. The problem is not solely one of IDA companies, however. The issue of regional development is broader than what at the end of the day comprises less than 8% of the total workforce nationally. We must consider how best to utilise the region's many strengths and get the various groups to work together.
In the context of the action plan for jobs, Senator Michael D'Arcy and I recently attended a meeting to discuss progress in the south east. While everyone recognises the significant problems that persist in the region, we have made an impact. The IDA has paid much more attention to the south east, with the number of visits to the region increasing to 33 from 13 in the previous year. IDA companies made three visits to Wexford, in addition to two visits by foreign companies under the food rubric of Enterprise Ireland. This compares to a total of two visits over the previous five years. While the number of visits could be said to be low, it is a dramatic improvement on what was previously the case.
The Senator acknowledged the welcome announcement by Eistech. We need to examine sectors in which it is possible to develop regional strengths. We have seen that with Eistech, which is an aggressive, growth-oriented company led by dynamic people. The company was established a mere 12 months ago with nine employees but it now employs 400 and is committed to employing an additional 250 in the south east. This is the sort of indigenous company we need to nurture and grow.
While we will continue to focus on investments by IDA companies in the south east, we must also build the region's strengths and nurture indigenous enterprise. As part of the action plan for the south east, all of the agencies have examined their existing portfolios of companies to determine whether they had the capacity for expansion, and some did. We also investigated the new start-ups and allocated competitive start-up funds. These companies have generated new projects which we hope to develop further as job-creating projects. This is a broad-based strategy and, while I acknowledge there is a long way to go, we are seeing a real effort by the agencies and a focus on an area that must contend with structural problems. With the collaboration of agencies in my Department, along with education institutions and local authorities, we will build a coherent response to the challenges in the south east. That is my ambition and I will continue to meet local representatives from the area to maintain focus, register progress and enlist the support of a wider range of groups in the south east.
I appreciate that progress has been made but I am making the point that the biggest county in the south east, which is Wexford, has had three visits from IDA companies. The Carlow and Kilkenny area have a similar population but they received six visits. Waterford received 25 visits. I never wanted to take a bite out of another person's sandwich but I do not want others to eat my sandwiches. That is what is happening at present. I accept the need to develop a cohesive overall strategy but the Minister cannot ignore Wexford, the black spot within the black spot. My role is to achieve the best outcome for my area but the figures speak for themselves. Three visits in 2012 are not enough and I expect more.
Announcements about the creation of 250 jobs were not made in many counties over the last 12 months. Wexford is not being neglected in any sense by my Department or my agencies. However, we have to exploit the strengths of the overall region by building the resources available in gateway cities such as Waterford. The IDA's strategy focuses on gateways and hubs. It is important that we expand our focus beyond the IDA companies, which help to build clusters of strength, because indigenous companies can also play an important role. We are seeking to adopt a balanced approach. We would like to see more activity in Wexford and, given the work we have done over the last 12 to 18 months, I am hopeful that we can make progress over the coming 12 months in respect of the needs of the south east.
I commit to the dedication of our agencies and my Department in respect of the south east to deliver something in this area. We recognise that there are structural problems which do not apply elsewhere in the country and that the area needs a focus at this time.
Health Services Staff Recruitment
This motion relates to the appointment of a paediatric urologist. My understanding is that for children who have spina bifida and hydrocephalus there is a severe difficulty in accessing vital urology services. My understanding is that the post of paediatric urologist was advertised but not filled and that while one person was interested in the post the position was not taken up, although it was offered. My understanding is that in the long term because it is a specialist area the likelihood of the post being filled is remote. My understanding is that the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London has offered to provide backup support and that there is a need for a more co-ordinated approach between the HSE and Great Ormond Street. I am highlighting the issue because of parents of children in the Cork region. At one stage they believed the problem was going to be resolved and that there would be a centre in Dublin to deal specifically with the matter.
It appears that the necessary backup support that the parents require is not in place and there is a need for a proper structure. The set up is rather disjointed at the moment and they are concerned about this, especially for the long term. Urology is a specialist area and it needs particular attention. If treatment is provided to children at a younger age then the problems that arise can be dealt with far more effectively later on. This is the reason the parents are particularly keen for a more co-ordinated approach between the HSE and Great Ormond Street to deal with the matter for the entire country.
I realise several additional paediatric consultants have been appointed in the past 18 months but none of them has this particular speciality. At a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children I asked whether some of the existing paediatricians could train or acquire the necessary skills. I understand there is a reluctance to proceed in this way. This is a particularly significant problem for the parents concerned. Can we arrange for a more co-ordinated approach?
I thank Senator Burke for raising this matter and for the way in which he has done it. I apologise on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, who is unable to be in the House this evening. As Senator Burke noted, this is an important issue. I understand Ireland has the highest incidence of spina bifida in the western world and therefore it is important that this issue is highlighted in the House. Were the Minister here he would say that this is a complex issue concerning physical disability. Children with spina bifida have multiple problems caused by the condition. The majority of children and adults with spina bifida have hydrocephalus, to which Senator Burke referred.
Best practice recommends that multiple professionals are involved on a spina bifida team. We know that on average 30 children per year are born in Ireland with open spina bifida, the most severe form. I am aware that early intervention by a specialist and local team is essential to optimise the long-term functioning of these children and to prevent medical complications later in their lives. The Children's University Hospital, Temple Street is the national tertiary care centre for spina bifida and hydrocephalus. All infants born in Ireland with spina bifida are transferred to Temple Street after birth for ongoing neonatal management. The model of care being developed by the HSE involves sharing care between the specialist team in Temple Street and the local team. The best care should be provided nearest to the patient's home with guidance and support from the specialist team. However, it is acknowledged that there are many complex issues which are best managed by the specialist team.
A multi-disciplinary spina bifida clinic was established in Temple Street last year in February 2011. However, I am advised that there has been no dedicated urological input to date. A recruitment process was under way in 2009 and 2010 from which the hospital had hoped to recruit a urologist. Unfortunately the recruitment process found no suitable candidate for the post. However, a new recruitment process is in train and it is hoped that the post will be re-advertised before the end of the year. The HSE is hopeful that the new recruitment process will succeed in hiring a suitable candidate.
As an interim arrangement, children requiring urgent urological input are prioritised clinically and seen in the United Kingdom under the treatment abroad scheme. Where a patient is refused access to the treatment abroad scheme the hospital is currently in final negotiations with St. George's Hospital in London with a view to having that hospital treat children pending the appointment of a permanent urologist. Arrangements are currently being made to have a consultant visit from the UK to cover clinical priorities here. In addition to the consultant urologist post, other key staff will also be required to develop the model of care, including, for example, in the areas of occupational health, continence, nurse management and orthopaedic surgery. A business case is currently being developed by the HSE to progress the matter. The Government is acutely aware of the challenges that patients with spina bifida and their families face in managing their condition. I am committed to providing the best possible health service and will continue to work with the HSE to ensure the best possible outcomes for these patients.
Basically, this is an issue about co-ordination. A parent who contacted me said that in the Cork area there has been a failure to provide regular and comprehensive kidney and bladder assessments to ensure early detection of problems in renal function. This problem needs to be addressed immediately. The failure to address the problem will lead to increased numbers of people with renal failure and they will require dialysis for the rest of their lives at a great cost to the State. The parent concerned has suggested that even the simplest of procedures which should be available is not available in the Cork area at the moment. Will the Minister of State relay this to the Minister for Health? I will write to the Minister myself on the matter. However, there seems to be a falling down in the follow-up. The service is not available in Cork and I presume that is because the unit in Dublin is under pressure as well as there being a difficulty with trying to co-ordinate with London.
The post of paediatric urologist is a specialist function. I realise the HSE intends to re-advertise the post but with all due respect the likelihood of the post being filled is rather remote. I am being blunt about it but this is the word I am getting from the medical profession. We need to consider the long-term plan for the next three or four years. We should plan now rather than live in a false sense of hope that the position will be filled and I call on the Minister to ensure this.
The Senator has raised two issues. As I said in my remarks on the first issue - this is the view of the Department of Health and the Minister as well - basic testing should be done locally. There is no reason that cannot happen and certainly I will bring to the Minister's attention the comments made by the Senator concerning the difficulties in Cork. It is not acceptable that patients would have to travel extensive distances for what are basic tests such as those necessary in the cases he has highlighted.
The second issue relates to the re-advertising of the paediatric urologist post. I have heard what the Senator has had to say. It is a serious matter if an appointment cannot be made. Although I do not wish to prejudge the matter, we cannot allow a hiatus to develop such as what has occurred in recent years whereby no systems are in place while we are waiting for a permanent post to be filled. The suggestions the Senator has made whereby while the post is being filled a more permanent relationship is developed between the hospital in London and the authorities here in Temple Street will be of great value and I will certainly bring it to the Minister's attention.
Architectural Heritage
I welcome the Minister of State to the House this evening.
I want to ask the Minister whether plans are in place to provide funding for the development of tourist facilities at the residence of Seán Mac Diarmada, one of the signatories of the 1916 Proclamation. The house is in the same condition today as it was when Seán Mac Diarmada left it. It would be a major tourism boost for the Kiltyclogher area. The roof will need to be repaired, although some minor work has been carried out. The site would need parking and toilet facilities. In view of the fact that the celebrations for the centenary of the Easter Rising will be held in 2016 and The Gathering will be held next year, the development of the house would bring more tourists to north Leitrim.
Such works would come under my responsibility as Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works. I am grateful to the Senator for raising this matter. My understanding is that the Mac Diarmada family residence is located in a rural part of County Leitrim near the village of Kiltyclogher. The site contains a collection of buildings centred around a traditional farm cottage residence and including a number of farm outbuildings. The entire complex represents a very fine example of a vernacular farmstead typical of the era. It comes under my responsibility as it is formally listed as a national monument in State care.
The property is in the ownership of the State and is cared for by the Office of Public Works national monuments service. The Mac Diarmada homestead buildings are in generally good condition and do not require major intervention. Indeed, the general view might be that a substantial intervention would alter their essential character and obliterate the very thing that makes them worth preserving. There is, of course, a need for ongoing conservation of the collection of buildings. The Office of Public Works is especially conscious of its obligations in view of the upcoming 1916 commemorations, when all of the properties in its care with a connection to this era - including the Pearse museum in St. Enda's, Rathfarnham, which is in my own constituency, and the Pearse cottage in Rosmuc, which is in Senator Ó Clochartaigh's constituency - will play an important part in the remembrance of these significant events in our national history.
Along with the general approach to significant works on the site, it has been necessary to carry out a limited but substantial conservation project at the main residence. I understand that the OPW has spent €30,000 on this in recent works. It is important that the local community knows that such moneys have been expended on the site. This is a traditional thatched building. The roof suffered quite badly during the heavy snowfalls of recent winters, to a point at which both the external roof surface and the supporting structure were quite badly affected. This year, the national monuments service of the OPW undertook a project to address these issues, and I am pleased to report that the problem has been fully rectified. The roof has been rethatched and underlying structural improvements have been made, with a total investment in the site of €30,000. The OPW is confident, therefore, that the building is in good condition and needs no further substantial work at this stage. Closer to the time of the 1916 anniversary, my office will look afresh at the site and will address the position of the surface presentation so that the general appearance of the site and the buildings will be ready for any commemoration events.
I will speak in reply to the main point raised by the Senator that resources should be directed towards the provision of tourist facilities and services at the Mac Diarmada homestead. The OPW does not provide a guide service at this site and there are no proposals to do so in the short term. Such a decision would involve substantial ongoing costs, which are a difficulty at this time. Notwithstanding the current interest in sites associated with the 1916 Rising, the OPW is not certain there is sufficient level of interest in the long term to sustain such an operation. There is as yet no compelling evidence to warrant the provision of such extensive visitor facilities.
The OPW strategy will, however, remain focused on ensuring that the opportunities to present the site are availed of where possible and that any interest manifested by visitors is catered for. The OPW engages actively with the local community with regard to the site. There is an active Seán Mac Diarmada commemoration committee in County Leitrim with which the OPW engages by means of a contact based in the local library in Manorhamilton. The OPW also facilitates small events, seminars, tours, etc., at the property as requested, in co-operation with interested locals. I have encouraged the OPW to remain in contact with this group in order to build on its very good relationship with it.
As the Senator may be aware, I have this year pioneered a new development in the OPW called the communities involvement initiative. Properly constituted and insured local community-based groups interested in the development and promotion of such sites would co-operate with the OPW to help present such sites to visitors and other interested parties. The OPW cannot possibly present a full visitor service at all of the many wonderful sites in its care. However, it may be possible for it to enter into co-operative arrangements with other parties so that local knowledge can be utilised and sites can be opened for guided tour groups. The OPW will, at my request, launch the community initiative for 2013 shortly. I encourage this and other groups with an interest in our heritage to contact the OPW national monuments service in order to explore the possibilities presented. The OPW is willing to work with local communities in order to make sites accessible for visitors. This arrangement has worked very well at approximately 20 sites. It is an effective handing over of a site to a local community in circumstances in which the OPW no longer has the funds to guide this.
I can assure the Senator - who is a friend of mine - that the next time I am in County Leitrim I will be more than happy to visit the Mac Diarmada homestead and meet the local committee in order to take the initiative forward.
I thank the Minister of State. We will take him up on that offer. The next time he is in north Leitrim we will take him to visit that site and many other sites around the area. I agree it is a good idea to liaise with the local community with regard to commemorative events for 1916. It may be possible to have a guide service in place with the co-operation of the local community. I acknowledge the expenditure of €30,000 on repairs to the structure and its thatched roof. I look forward to visit of the Minister of State to the house in north Leitrim.
National Internship Scheme Administration
Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh, agus fearaim céad fáilte roimh an Aire. Tá mé thar a bheith buíoch di as teacht isteach leis an gceist seo a fhreagairt. The Minister will be aware of concerns raised previously about JobBridge. We believe it is stopping the provision of real jobs and is leading to exploitation of workers. There are many ludicrous examples of internships which are not real but which are being tolerated. Vacancies for hotel receptionists, waitresses, car valets and telesales assistants are all advertised on the website as of 6 o'clock this evening. These internships are potentially displacing real jobs. It does not necessarily take 40 hours a week for nine months to learn how to clean a car, change a bed or carry plates. All of these jobs are relatively easy to learn but they involve hard work and in our view this is work which should be paid for.
The level of unemployment and under-employment across all these fields is critically high. JobBridge further reduces the number of paid jobs available. The Government should be embarrassed to call this a jobs initiative. In our view, JobBridge is the new minimum wage.
The Minister stated that JobBridge is a central plank of the Government's jobs strategy, but there is zero evidence of strategic thinking. A genuine internship programme would improve a person's job prospects. There are no jobs, so why should employers hire people when they can get them for free, courtesy of the State? The scheme is so poorly designed that it is ripe for exploitation. It needs to be significantly reformed.
In 2010, the US Department of Labor produced six criteria governing internships, one of which provides that an employer cannot hire an intern for free unless he or she derives no immediate advantage from the intern's activities. This is designed to ensure that an internship is a benevolent act by an employer, rather than a form of exploitation. We would agree with this.
We have a number of concerns about the application of the JobBridge scheme, particularly in the public service. We would like to know whether there is any vetting of those who take up these internships. Are safeguards put in place for them during the course of their employment? We do not suggest that those availing of schemes such as JobBridge should not be entitled to enter into jobs in the public service, for example in Departments, organisations, agencies and companies. In such bodies, however, it is possible that they will come into contact with sensitive information and personal details, etc., some of which could be very important. When we discussed the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012 last week, the Minister, Deputy Shatter, said that ten people had been brought into the bureau under the JobBridge scheme to clear the backlog of vetting applications. That is where this concern arose. We feel there is a need to ensure safeguards are in place so that JobBridge applicants who are employed in State bodies are monitored to ensure sensitive information is treated with the appropriate gravity and care.
The other concern we have that is specific to the public service is an obvious one. The JobBridge scheme is meant to be a route to employment, but where is the employment in the public service? The Government is quite proud of the recruitment embargo in the public service. There is questionable value in forcing people to work for their welfare for a few months, in workplaces that need real full-time labour, before showing them the door again. While they might pick up some experience, it is absurd that people who want to work and are keen to do so cannot be allowed to do the additional full-time work that needs to be done in parts of the public service. We cannot match the two up.
We are concerned about the possibility of young interns being exploited, and we are particularly concerned about the possibility that the State would be exploiting them. These interns will do what they can to impress and improve their knowledge. Many fine, skilled young people are being lumped into Departments and agencies that are struggling to cope with their own workloads. There is every possibility that the young people in question will find themselves exploited by having to cover enormous amounts of work far beyond their experience. That is why I have asked the Minister this question this evening. In light of the confirmation by the Minister, Deputy Shatter, last week that ten interns have been placed in the vetting bureau, it is important for us to get a breakdown of the number of JobBridge participants who got placements with State Departments, organisations, agencies or companies and were subsequently given employment by the bodies in question when those placements came to an end. I ask the Minister to provide some clarification in response to that question. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire agus tá mé ag súil go mór lena fhreagra.
The national internship scheme, JobBridge, was launched on 1 July 2011. It provides internship opportunities of six or nine months for unemployed people on the live register in organisations in the private, public, community and voluntary sectors. Its aim is to assist in breaking the cycle whereby jobseekers are unable to get a job without experience. It gives such people an opportunity to gain valuable experience, relevant knowledge and skills in a working environment. The JobBridge scheme has made significant progress since it came into operation on 1 July 2011. Some 13,049 internships have commenced to date. As of 13 December last, some 5,612 participants are on internships and some 2,235 opportunities are advertised on jobbridge.ie. An interim evaluation of JobBridge, which was conducted by Indecon international economic consultants and published on 5 October 2012, found that 52.3% of JobBridge finishers have progressed into employment with their host organisation or another employer since finishing their internship. As the study pointed out, this is one of the best outcomes in Europe for a work placement programme.
I wish to advise the Senator that to date 2,645 placements, or 22% of the total, have been in the public service. The interim evaluation report that was published by Indecon in October 2012 found that 49% of interns who finished their internships in the public sector are now in paid employment. The report found that 27% of those interns who finished their placements in the public sector are now in paid employment with their host organisations. The other 22% of interns who progressed into employment did so with other organisations. A significant proportion of those progressing into employment with other organisations did so on foot of the high-quality skills and experience they gained during their internships. For the purposes of the Indecon report, the public sector was deemed to include the community and voluntary sectors. It must be acknowledged that the progression outcomes into employment from placements in the public sector are encouraging.
One of the main benefits of JobBridge for interns is that the scheme gives participants an opportunity to gain new job skills and high-quality work experience. Many interns consider that the scheme improves their chances of gaining employment. Some 89.3% of interns believe JobBridge has given them new skills. The scheme helps to boost participants' self-confidence, assists them in identifying job opportunities suitable to their abilities, keeps them close to the job market and helps them to establish contacts and networks. The scheme has had positive effects on the subsequent employment chances of participants who would not have secured employment in the absence of the scheme. The findings suggest the scheme has been an effective labour market intervention, in terms of achieving movement off the live register.
JobBridge is a pillar of the Government's jobs initiative, which was announced in May 2011. Its goal is to help people seeking employment to gain valuable work experience and enhance their prospects of getting a job. I am delighted that an independent review of the scheme has found that this goal is being achieved. This is a scheme for a particular set of people - those who unfortunately find themselves unemployed. It is not for everybody. I continuously meet people and their parents who tell me the scheme has been strongly positive for them. The Senator will appreciate that it is very rewarding to hear that at a time when many fine people unfortunately find themselves without jobs.
I thank the Minister for her reply, although I do not think she answered the specific question I asked. I would like to know how many participants got placements with Departments, organisations, agencies or companies and how many of them were subsequently employed by those bodies. We have been told that 49% of those who did internships in the public sector have found paid employment, but I understand that for these purposes, "public sector" includes the community and voluntary sectors. How many of the State Departments, organisations, agencies and companies involved in these internships kept on the interns who had placements with them?
I am relying on the figures from the Indecon survey. This is the way they are structured. The Senator is probably aware that the vast majority of public, voluntary and community organisations in this country are funded by the State. I am a little disappointed that Sinn Féin is so opposed to internship. I always thought that many people worked in Sinn Féin for nothing. I thought they were the pioneers in this regard. I suppose the people in question get nothing at all.
That is a question of volunteerism.
It is somewhat disappointing that Sinn Féin is quite so negative. I have long experience of working at third level. I am particularly conscious that one of the problems caused by the recession is that many young people hit a brick wall when they look for employment opportunities after completing secondary education, FETAC training, community employment schemes or third level education. I am aware of people with fantastic primary and master's degrees - even a number of people with PhDs - who have encountered such difficulties. The Senator is profoundly wrong. I invite him to examine the figures and think again. Between 130,000 and 140,000 people leave the live register every year to take up employment in Ireland.
We are not talking about people who might leave the country or drop out of the labour force. They actually leave the live register to take up employment. The critical point in taking up employment is that one's best opportunity, particularly if one has just completed a course or is moving to a new career, is in being able to say to an employer not only that one wants to work for that person and has good educational or other qualifications but also that one has worked and has relevant experience. One of the problems is that in the recession we could build up a cohort of people who would have many educational qualifications, some at a very high level, but who would never have had an opportunity to work. From a business point of view, the opportunity for somebody looking for a first or second job, if he or she is moving field such as someone who worked in construction and is moving to work perhaps in the information technology sector, is greatly diminished in the absence of a bridge or pathway from one sector to another or to a job in the first place. I have a great deal of experience in business and of working with businesses-----
I also have experience in business and long experience of applying for-----
There is no provision for a debate on the issue.
I have long experience with thousands of people in the education sector.
The Minister is not the only one with experience in business.
I do not understand why Sinn Féin is so negative about young people and people changing fields to gain work experience that will help them to find a job.
The Seanad adjourned at 8.05 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 19 December 2012.