1. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to the rising rates of youth unemployment; the strategies he is developing to address this issue; if his attention has been drawn specifically to the causes of unemployment for the 18- to 24-year-old cohort; the extent to which he has investigated the impact of automation and AI on the youth labour market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15402/26]

Sentiment score: -0.23

My question, as the Minister will see, is simple and straightforward. I hope he has plenty of very enlightening answers for me. The question concerns the issue of youth unemployment and, in particular, the impact of automation and AI, which is causing a bit of what might be called a bottleneck. Where previously there would have been a pipeline to move through, a lot of younger people are getting stuck because jobs they would traditionally have moved into are now being done by AI and automated in other ways.

Sentiment score: 0.02

That will be welcome. A number of factors need to be considered. I welcome the fact that the Minister is concerned because I am, too. I feel that when we are both concerned about something, we might be able to do something about it, which would be good. I welcome publication of the report into AI. However, there is an issue. Youth unemployment is rising at a faster rate than that of the general population. Therefrom comes both of our concerns. What is needed is a bespoke programme for younger people. We are heading into a period where we may experience some unemployment. I feel that now is the time to get ready for that, with the specific needs of younger people in mind, and acknowledge, as the National Youth Council of Ireland has pointed out, the bottleneck that exists whereby people are unable to move on to more fulfilling or different jobs. The other issue is that of underemployment. A lot of younger people who are working have the capacity to work more but cannot get that work.

Sentiment score: 0.11

I thank the Minister. He mentioned that Intreo staff are engaging intensely. He might provide me with a note on the type of engagement and where it is that Intreo is directing people. We know that 50,000 young workers are either working part time or on low-hours contracts. In some instances, much and all as they should not be, they are on zero-hours contracts. I met representatives of the National Youth Council of Ireland. They are saying clearly that there is not just youth unemployment, which is an issue and which I feel is a bit of a canary in a coalmine, as I have said previously, but there is also the issue of underemployment. If we look at the statistics, we will see that 18% of 25-year-olds had to go back to their parents' houses after attempting to live on their own and 43% have never left. Clearly, there is an issue. We have all been 25, albeit that it was a long time ago, and you do not necessarily want to be living with your parents at that age. I do not think that figure represents people who are happy to be at home. Those are people who are stuck at home. That needs to be examined.

Sentiment score: 0.17

3. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to equalise the youth jobseeker’s rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15403/26]

Sentiment score: 0.01

This question relates to the youth rates of jobseeker's payments and whether the Minister has any plans to equalise them. Coming from a trade union background, we always said there should be equal pay for work of equal value. However, for those dependent on a social welfare payment, it would be wrong to assume it is pin money or is somehow not relevant to the young person and his or her family.

Sentiment score: -0.08

My constituency has the youngest population in the State. Youth unemployment is rising at three times the rate for the general population, as we have discussed, and constituencies like mine will feel that the hardest. A total of 18% of 25-year-olds went back to their parents' house after attempting to live on their own and 43% have never left. This means 60%-plus of young adults remain in their family home. The Minister referenced the need for bespoke strategies. I hope to hear more from him about that in the coming weeks and months. As we have discussed, the labour market is changing. It is not simply the case that young workers need to be incentivised; they need to be trained and equipped to be able to participate in the workplace. The Minister mentioned extended periods of inactivity. There was a bit of a bang of Norman Tebbit off that comment. I do not think anybody enjoys a period of extended inactivity. Young people want to be in work but there must be recognition that some of them will need help with that.

Sentiment score: 0.04

The purpose of jobseeker's payments and other social welfare benefits should be to help people to get back on their feet and back into the labour market. However, having subminimum reduced rates for younger people cuts them off and leaves them further adrift. The two-tier element is not a good thing. I appreciate that the full rates are available for those participating in training and employment opportunities but the Minister needs to take a long, hard look at the reasons for non-participation. Very often, it is not from an unwillingness, as he acknowledged. Young people do not want to be disconnected from the labour market. What is happening is that they find themselves cut off because of a lack of transport and, as a consequence of the low rates, because they cannot get themselves out of where they are. I am very conscious that there is a poverty trap for younger people. It is not good to have a two-tier system with different rates. I come from the perspective of believing our young people want to be in work and to be productive. They just sometimes need a hand to get there.

Sentiment score: -0.08

5. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection his engagement with the CRU, or energy providers, in relation to pay-as-you-go, or hardship metres; to detail the full extent of this engagement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15404/26]

Sentiment score: 0.24

My question relates to the engagement the Minister has had with the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, or the energy providers, or hopefully both, in relation to pay-as-you-go meters, or as they are sometimes called, hardship meters. We had a discussion yesterday at committee in relation to a particular incident. I will not ask the Minister to comment on that but there is an issue of what I would call microdisconnections. If people on a prepay meter are on the vulnerable register, it is meaningless because they will get cut off.

Sentiment score: -0.01

It is very expensive to be poor in this State, if a person finds themselves on a pay-as-you-go meter. I do not give a continental what the energy companies say. Many people are on those meters and they do not want to be. They either believe they have no choice or they are put onto them. They are then charged the most expensive rate of electricity. Thanks to my colleague, Lynn Boylan MEP, we learned in the newspapers yesterday that domestic customers pay twice as much for their electricity as data centres do. It is easy to see where the Government's priorities are there. The people who are on pay-as-you-go meters, who are likely to be the poorest people in any community, are paying a higher rate. They are - forgive me Cathaoirleach Gníomhach - getting screwed and it is really unfair. These microdisconnections are happening every day of the week. There has to be a rapid access system for people so that they can keep the lights and the heat on.

Sentiment score: -0.11

I welcome that. It is good work to be done but the question was specifically about the engagement the Minister might have had with the CRU or the energy providers. I appreciate that he is going talk to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and I wish him the best with that with. However, it would also be important that the Minister would engage with the CRU. I do not think people are engaging with this issue. I see it, and I am sure the Minister sees it in his constituency clinic as well. I am not talking about a massive number of people but for them it is important. The case I spoke to the Minister about involves a young woman with two kids. Her electricity was going off at 2 o'clock. She could not access those supports, so she would have been in her house, cold. These are facts but they are microdisconnections; they are very small. I encourage the Minister to engage with the CRU. There is no rule that says he cannot. The CRU is the body with responsibility for regulation in this space. The energy companies are - with the greatest respect - the ones who have the responsibility for gouging these people. At the end of the day, it is the Department of Social Protection that will pick up the bill. At this stage, if the Minister could intervene with both of those bodies, that would be a very useful way to engage.

Sentiment score: 0.32