North Cork Fine Gael Councillor & General Election candidate for Cork North West Councillor John Paul O’Shea has said that the Live Register is continuing to decline in County Cork as we see record unemployment figures nationally.
Cllr. O’Shea said: “The CSO reported this week that the monthly unemployment rate has dropped consistently over the past year and has now fallen to 5.3%, as of October 2018.
“There are now about 29,000 fewer people out of work in Ireland compared to October 2017 and it is almost eleven years since the unemployment rate was so low.
“County Cork is benefitting as the CSO also reports consistent decline in the Live Register figures showing the number of persons on the Live Register in October 2018 is at lowest number since May 2008.
“The Live Register has declined by 16% on an annual basis and by 55% since Fine Gael launched the first Action Plan for Jobs in February 2012.
“In County Cork the number of people on the Live Register has declined 61% since Fine Gael launched its Action Plan for Jobs in 2012. There are 151 less people on the Live register in Newmarket since last year representing a reduction of 20% in just 12 months. There was a reduction of 12% in Mallow and 10% in Macroom respectively over the last 12 months.
“My colleague, the Minster for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty has this week highlighted a number of initiatives in her Department to support and help people to enter, or return to, the workforce.
“The Youth Employment Support Scheme for example was launched in September and is targeted exclusively at young jobseekers, aged 18 to 24, who are either long-term unemployed or face significant barriers to employment.
“JobsPlus, which was introduced in July 2013, provides a direct monthly financial incentive to employers who offer full-time employment opportunities to long-term unemployed people.
“The scheme was further enhanced from 1 January 2018 to support workers aged 50 or over. Almost 16,000 have been employed through the scheme in 2017 and 2018 (to September).
“In addition the department continues to provide valuable work experience for those who are long-term unemployed through the community employment and TUS schemes. These schemes also provide important local services in towns and villages throughout the country. At present there are approximately 28,000 participants on these schemes who are benefiting from work experience and training.
“Fine Gael in Government is working hard to meet people’s needs and secure their future and job creation is a huge part of this. Only a strong economy supporting people at work can provide the public services needed to deliver the kind of society we all want to live in.
“The recent CSO figures are really positive for communities across County Cork, as every job created has a positive knock on effect for local businesses and services.”
“We are at a crucial point in the economic cycle and the choices that we make now will set the tone for the coming years. Fine Gael in Government has put the right policies in place to allow our economy and society to grow in a way that builds our resilience and ensures we are well positioned for what lies ahead.”
