Unemployment at 8.9% and jobs growth strongest in regional areas – Corcoran Kennedy

“Unemployment has fallen to 8.9%, the lowest rate since the end of 2008 and most encouragingly, growth is strongest in regional areas”, says Fine Gael TD for Laois/Offaly and Chair of the Oireachtas Jobs Committee, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy.

“The latest QHNS figures, released today (Tuesday) by the CSO, show that the unemployment rate has dropped to 8.9%, marking the first time it has dropped below 9% since the end of 2008.

“Jobs have grown in all 8 regions since the Action Plan for Jobs was launched by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton in 2012, with the strongest percentage increases not in Dublin or Cork but in the Midlands (13.8%), the South East (14.4%) and Border counties (12%). In total 135,800 extra jobs have been added to the economy since 2012.

“It is time that opposition parties, intent on running down rural Ireland, accept that the recovery is underway. While more needs to be done to ensure that everyone feels its benefit, there can be no doubt that real progress has been made.

“The number of long-term unemployed has declined from 204,300 when the Acton Plan was launched to 109,800 today, a decrease of 46%. In addition the number of people in part-time employment fell in the past 12 months, meaning that the number of people with full time jobs actually increased by almost 60,000.

“Keeping the recovery going is Fine Gael’s top priority and we want to do this by creating jobs and reducing taxes for those who are at work.
“Less tax on work encourages jobs growth, creates more revenue for the exchequer and results in more money to invest in services.
“These figures confirm that the trend of growth is deepening and broadening across the country. The recovery is underway and with specific plans in place to drive job creation in regional areas, I am confident that we will see further sustainable growth.”