Continued focus needed to drive job growth in Tipperary – Coonan

Fine Gael TD for Tipperary, Noel Coonan, has said that a drop of almost 13% in the Live Register in Tipperary since the launch of the Action Plan for Jobs in 2012 is an indication of steady growth, but continued focus is needed to drive the recovery forward in this area.

“The Government has hit the target of helping to create 100,000 jobs through the Action Plan for Jobs one year ahead of schedule. In Tipperary we have recently had a major announcement of 300 new jobs with Amneal in Cashel, as well as many new local start-ups taking on employees. However there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure that the economy in Tipperary continues to grow.

“The figures show that the economy is moving in the right direction, but I know that there is a fear that the growth figures are not as strong as they were.  I realise that there are still people out of work and people who want job opportunities closer to home.

“The Government has set the target of delivering sustainable employment and of restoring all of the jobs lost during the recession by 2018. This will be a difficult task but one that we cannot lose focus on.

“The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, has launched the Regional Action Plan for Jobs, which specifically looks at the strengths and opportunities for each region. I am confident that this plan, where definitive goals have been set, will provide further jobs growth for the people of Tipperary.”