Fine Gael TD for Dublin Fingal, Alan Farrell, has said that the steady reduction in the number of people signing on the Live Register in the North County shows that our economic recovery is continuing to strengthen locally.
“The latest CSO data shows that the Live Register in the Swords social welfare office, which also represents Malahide and Donabate, has fallen by 38.8% since its peak in July 2012. In the same period, the Live Register in the Balbriggan office, which also represents Skerries, Rush and Lusk, has dropped by 31.1%, while in the Kilbrarrack office, which covers Portmarnock the figure has decreased by 29.6%. This shows that the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs is having a significant impact in spurring on the economic recovery in Dublin Fingal, while the national unemployment rate is now 8.9%.
Youth unemployment has decreased significantly in the North County since July 2012, with the number of people under 25 on the Live Register decreasing by 57.3% in the Swords office, by 52% in the Balbriggan office, and by 56.3% in the Kilbarrack office.
“We are seeing economic progress, with over 135,000 more people at work, but we cannot take for granted that stability and recovery will continue. A drop in the number of people signing on the Live Register is certainly positive and highlights the growth in the local economy. More people in work provides the resources to cut taxes for working people and invest in better services.
“It is important that jobs are created that pay more than welfare and where hard-work is rewarded. Fine Gael has a plan to ensure that parents earning the minimum wage receive a top-up to encourage them to enter the work-force. This move will also support small local businesses.
“Plans are also in place to eliminate the USC during the term of the next Government. This harsh tax, introduced by Fianna Fáil, is a burden on workers and I have been working for some time on behalf of the people of Dublin Fingal to get rid of it.
“This Government will work to keep the economic recovery going, which helps to provide better services for every person in our society. I am optimistic that the numbers signing onto the Live Register will continue to fall and that we will see further sustainable growth across the North County.”