The section dealing with the Dáil report is usually accurate. Fianna Fáil will not encourage our young people to emigrate. We have succeeded in bringing back 100,000 people from abroad and I am proud of that. We turned the tide of emigration and we intend to ensure that people here have employment. We will continue with our policy of bringing back emigrants, many of whom left this country during the period of office of the National Coalition. However, there was one notable emigrant during our period of office about whom I do not feel any regret — I refer to Dr. Cruise-O'Brien. He went home to London to The Observer. To balance that there were many genuine emigrants who have returned to work here.
An interesting point was made by the Minister for Labour, Deputy Nolan. Incidentally, I should like to take this opportunity of congratulating him on his appointment. I know that a man of his great experience will make a major contribution to the work of his Department. Last night he said that AnCO placed 70 per cent of the 17,500 people whom they trained in 1980. That is a tremendous achievement. We owe a debt of gratitude to them. It should also be remembered that AnCO train adults. I should like to congratulate the manager of the Athlone Training Centre, Michael Fitzgerald, on carrying out tremendous work in the training of young people and adults. The contribution of AnCO in our area is appreciated.
Recently we received the publication Manpower Information Quarterly dated December 1980. It referred to the Coordinating Committee for youth employment schemes — and it made the following comments:
The above mentioned committee was set up by the Department of Labour in August 1978 for the coordination of youth employment schemes and includes representatives from the Departments of Labour, Finance and Education and AnCO. The various schemes being co-ordinated by the committee include the following:
(1) Work Experience Programme administered by the National Manpower Service;
(2) Temporary Grants Scheme for youth employment sponsored by the Department of Education;
(3) Environmental Improvement Schemes Programme — Department of the Environment;
(4) Community Youth Training Programmes — AnCO.
In 1978 the various schemes involved a total of 7,142 young people at a cost of £4,825,000, while in 1979 the total participation of young people reached 11,122 at a total cost of £10,704,000.
The report also referred to surveys undertaken. This is of tremendous help to young people who receive training under the schemes. The work experience programme administered by the National Manpower Service has been an outstanding success and the Government can be very proud of introducing the programme. I refer again to the alleged concern of the Labour Party now and I wish to point out that there was much unemployment among young people during their term of office. The former Minister for Labour, who is present, may wish to comment on that. Why did they not introduce a scheme such as the work experience programme
This scheme is working extremely well. I have endeavoured, as a TD, to get every young person who got in touch with me fixed up in this field. In the majority of cases, the employers have this work experience programme and they then take people on on a permanent basis. The experience which they get under this scheme stands to them when they apply for permanent employment. They are paid £20 per week and all other expenses, like insurance, PRSI and tax, are taken care of by the Manpower Service. The employers who take on on these young people have only the cost of providing accommodation. This scheme, which gives people the first opportunity in employment, was not in existence when I was leaving school and looking for work and I am sure that no Deputy had experience of it when young. This scheme is a tribute to this Government. It has been retained by them and will be fully financed. There is no question about that. We believe very strongly in this scheme, which was initiated by us in 1978.
The temporary grant scheme for youth employment is sponsored by the Department of Education, with Deputy Tunney as Minister in charge. The amount of work achieved under this scheme is spectacular and a tremendous contribution has been made to the many organisations who have availed of it and obtained grants to improve their facilities, grounds and accommodation. Not only does it give those opportunities but it gives young people work experience in a difficult period between leaving school and starting work. Many who started in this scheme are now permanently employed using some of the skills learned which they went on to further develop. The Department of Education should be complimented on the streamlined operation of this scheme. Many organisations which have availed of this grant have complimented the Department on the efficiency and lack of red tape in the administration of the scheme. We showed our concern and commitment and put money into that scheme to help people to get temporary employment which has led in many cases to permanent employment.
The environmental improvement scheme programme administered by the Department of the Environment is carried out by the local authorities. There again, this scheme is usually operational in the summer months when young people have left school. Roscommon County Council have been working on and administering this scheme for a number of years. It has given very worthwhile employment. The wage under that scheme is something like £50 per week, a great help, particularly for someone leaving school. It gives assistance in the first few months until permanent employment can be obtained. Many students attending universities find it of great assistance in raising funds to help them through university in pursuit of their educational qualifications.
The community youth training programme administered by AnCO is, again, a tremendous success. In my constituency in Roscommon, many youth centres and social centres have been erected under this scheme under very experienced foremen and other people with skills and it provides a full service for the erection of community centres in different areas and similar development. If Roscommon is any gauge of the national success of this scheme, it is an outstanding success. We have now centres in places like Dysart and Taughmaconnell in south-Roscommon and in Ballyforan we have improved our facilities and another scheme has begun in that area. I would have to spend too much time listing the schemes throughout the whole county, the progress made in administering that scheme and the contribution it has made to different areas, and rural areas, in particular. It has helped many young people to develop skills while carrying out those projects and has led to permanent work. All skills are provided in the erection of those buildings under experienced foremen and at AnCO level. The quality is second to none. In this regard, I compliment the trade union movement for their full co-operation in the development of those schemes. If that co-operation had been lacking, those schemes would not have had the success they have had.
Another recent development is the provision of the development officers scheme, operated by the Department of Education. In 1980, grants for the employment of something like 90 fulltime development officers were made available at a cost of £285,000. In 1981, the Government have laid aside £380,000 for the continuance of this scheme. This is an innovation, mostly administered by the vocational education committees. We provided funds in the 1980 budget, and, even though times are difficult, we have provided an increase in funds to continue this scheme in 1981.
I want to reiterate our total commitment to the provision of employment in general and, in particular, for young people who are our greatest national asset and the Government realise this. We are providing these schemes and plans for the employment of these young people. In the investment plan 1981 we have provided funds for the development of the economy generally and, in providing these extra funds, we are in turn providing employment. It is the young people who benefit to a great extent. The investment plan provides for investment in 1981 of over £1,700 million, which represents an increase of almost 40 per cent over the 1980 outturn. It will give a powerful thrust to national development, both in the short term and long term. It is designed to put the economy in good shape through the present difficult period of world recession and to provide for rapid and sustained growth as the expected upturn in world trade and output develops later in 1981.
In the longer term, the productive capacity of the economy will expand, its efficiency will improve and a solid foundation of investment will be created, so that our young and growing population will, by their own efforts, be able to obtain sound, secure and rewarding employment. The plan is strengthening infrastructural facilities and expanding the productive base, and will boost domestic demand and support employment. It will increase the number of people in productive employment this year and contribute to generating more rapid growth and a greater expansion of employment in succeeding years, as increasing advantage is taken of the solid foundation of basic services which the plan will provide.
This is something very positive which is being greeted throughout the whole country as a plan worthy of support. If given the proper support, both by private enterprise and nationally by the State agencies, it in turn will create that extra employment needed. It is sensible, at this stage, to provide this investment plan which will give the necessary employment in 1981 in difficult times. There is, at the moment, an international recession. Our Government are steering the ship of State faithfully through a dangerous course.
I dread to think what the situation would be today if we had not come into office in 1977. At that time there was a dreadful lack of Government planning and investment and I dread to think of the number of people who would be seeking work now if the Coalition Government had lasted for many months longer. The people judged the situation and gave us the mandate.
The creation of new jobs and the retention of existing employment has been our main priority. We are proud of our achievement. We are looking forward and we propose to provide necessary employment for our people. Tonight we have been given an opportunity to explain our aim. Last night the Minister for Labour gave an excellent summary of our position, outlining clearly our position in relation to new employment and the retention of existing jobs. On his recent TV appearance, on the "Today Tonight" programme, while the former Minister for Labour treated the whole affair jocosely, the Minister for Labour outlined where we stand in relation to the development and retention of employment.
Last night we had the experience of hearing Deputy Horgan — I hope Deputy Michael O'Leary will contradict him in relation to his statement — advocating emigration for young people. It would be a retrograde step for any Government here actively to encourage young people to emigrate. It would bring us back to a period when there was no alternative to emigration. That trend has been reversed. We can look at the situation in Britain where 2.5 million people are unemployed. The situation there is desperate. Here we have managed to sustain employment in a difficult time. Our Government are orientated towards the creation of further employment and that is enshrined in our Investment Plan for 1981. The people accept our achievement in the employment field between 1977 and 1981 and I hope we will be able to develop and expand that in the years ahead.
