Business alarmed by city jobless

Dublin could be "sitting on a time-bomb" if more attention is not given to the city's unemployment black-spots, the new president of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, Mr Hugh Governey, has said.

Mr Governey said there were parts of the city "where crime, drugs and unemployment are as much a part of daily life as they were before our new found economic success".

He said special measures were needed to help these areas and Government could play its part in sectors such as training and the provision of housing. "This must be a priority in the forthcoming National Development Plan," he said. He was speaking at the Dublin Chamber of Commerce annual general meeting in Dublin which discussed the theme of "the future of business in Dublin".

He said businesses could not ignore their responsibilities. "Business may have to reach out further to help younger people in particular from those areas" he said.

"If we do not take action now in this time of prosperity, future generations will not thank us," said Mr Governey, who is managing director (corporate) of Coyle Hamilton Insurance Brokers.

Speaking at the same event, Mr Alfie Kane, the chief executive of Telecom Eireann, said the future transport infrastructure needs of the city would only be delivered if adequate financial and management resources were allocated.

He called for an integrated body with "the necessary ability and authority to rapidly implement the various projects in parallel".

The Dublin city manager, Mr John Fitzgerald, said he was confident the existing structures in the city could achieve whatever was needed.