Live Register Figures Continue to Drop Across Dublin South

Re-Opening the Permanent TSB Branch in Dundrum

Re-Opening the Permanent TSB Branch in Dundrum

I warmly welcome the latest CSO figures which show that in the past year there has been a 5.2% drop in the numbers signing on the live register at Nutgrove Social Welfare Office and an 11.6% drop at the Intreo Centre in Dún Laoghaire. These are really positive developments and signal strong progress in renewing our local economy.

This is positive news and highlights the progress we are continuing to make in tackling unemployment in Dublin South. Local CSO data chime with the sustained decline in the unemployment rate nationally, which has fallen to 11% in October from a crisis peak of 15.1% in early 2012.

While these are promising statistics, unemployment remains high and we must retain our focus and continue our concerted efforts to help jobseekers get back to work. It is the Government’s aim to get unemployment below 10% in the coming year.

Allied to the decrease in unemployment, this week the European Commission said that Ireland is set to become the fastest growing country in the E.U. this year. Tax returns in the year to date are now running almost €1.1 billion ahead of target.

Last week saw the release of €800m in funding to the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI). The SBCI is a state owned banking corporation which will provide tailored loans for SMEs, with the first loans becoming available to SMEs by the end of 2014.

The main challenge is to ensure that everyone across Dublin South benefits from this recovery, that we create good jobs for people locally and build a social as well as an economic recovery.”