New Figures Confirm Jobs the Biggest Challenge

2 Feb 2011

While some comfort may be taken in the fall in seasonally adjusted numbers on the live register, the harsh fact is that the number of real persons "signing on" is up by almost 6,000 last month, Congress said today.

The fall in seasonally adjusted numbers reduces the unemployment rate marginally - from 13.6% to 13.4%.

Congress Economic Advisor Paul Sweeney said in response to the new figures: "It is shocking that over 26% of skilled persons have no work when there is so much that needs to be done. A staggering 115,351 of our skilled craft workers are 'signing on' when Ireland still has major infrastructural deficits.

"The cold fact is that that there are a frightening 273,000 less people are at work today in Ireland compared to 2007. Furthermore, net emigration will be over 60,000 this year.

"Jobs are the biggest challenge for any new Government," he said. "And it must stop deflating the economy and invest €2bn a year from the Pension Reserve into the real economy for the next 3 years and renegotiate the so-called 'bailout' of the private sector banks," Mr Sweeney concluded.

 

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