Fine Gael TD for Dublin Fingal, Alan Farrell has said that the live register figures released by the CSO this week show that the country’s economic recovery is firmly on track.
“The unemployment rate now stands at 11% in comparison to this time last year when it was 12.4%. At the time of the last election, the unemployment level was 15.1% and the fact that it is continuing to reduce each month highlights that the Government’s economic policy and Action Plan for Jobs are working. The seasonally adjusted figures from the CSO removed 3,500 people from the live register in the month of October bringing the unemployment level down from 11.1% in September to 11% now, the lowest rate since 2009.
“As the unemployment level continues to drop, consumer confidence increases and the business environment improves, the opportunities for people to return to work will continue to grow which will be positive news for many people throughout Dublin Fingal who are eager to return to work.
“While we still have a long way to go to ensure the impact of the economic recovery is felt in every home in the North County, and throughout the country, the fact that the live register and unemployment figures are reducing consistently makes it clear that we are moving in the right direction.
“The Government has outlined a number of supports for SMEs during its time in office and it has removed much of the red tape faced by small businesses as a means of making it easier for them to do business. This is essential as SMEs are the largest job creators in the State and we must continue to provide them with support in every way possible.
“Over 70,000 jobs have been created in the private sector since the Action Plan for Jobs began in 2012. However, far too many people are still out of work and are still struggling to get by. We must continue to focus on supporting indigenous businesses, attracting investment into Ireland, and creating new jobs to get people back to work.”