Latest employment figures prove the move away from FF policies is working – Corcoran Kennedy

“Adding over 1,300 jobs per week to the economy proves that the Government’s plan, and the move away from the Fianna Fáil high tax, high spend policy, is working”, says Fine Gael TD for Laois/Offaly, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy.

“The latest CSO Quarterly National Household Survey figures show that through the Action Plan for Jobs, launched by Minister Richard Bruton in 2012, 125,000 new jobs have been added. The unemployment rate has fallen from a high of 15.2% to 9.5%; below the EU average and a long way from the jobs crisis we inherited from Fianna Fáil.

“Today’s figures show that while there is still more work to be done, all regions have experienced job increases and unemployment decreases in the past year, meaning that the recovery is spreading to all parts of the country.

“This progress has been achieved due to a detailed and specific plan put in place by this Government and led by Minister Bruton. This progress has come about because the Government rejected Fianna Fáil’s plans for more tax increases on incomes and tax increases on work.

“ Fine Gael in government is tackling the legacy of Fianna Fáil’s tax hikes by cutting the USC and reducing the income tax rate. Further reductions in the tax burden are expected in the upcoming Budget in October. Meanwhile Fianna Fáil’s only policy seems to be to throw money at problems, with no detailed plan for how they would create more jobs.

“The Government is on track to replace all the jobs lost in the crisis by 2018 and to bring about a situation where there will be more Irish people coming back home to take up jobs.

“The latest employment figures are extremely encouraging and are a great boost to all areas of the country. However the recovery is still fragile and there are still people who have not felt its benefits.

“It is important that we continue to add more jobs and to make work pay by reducing the tax burden further. We cannot risk a move back to the ‘if we have it, we’ll spend it’, high tax Fianna Fáil policies which we’re implemented in the past and are still being advocated by the party at present.”