Budget to contain jobs measures

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore told the Dáil next week's budget will contain additional job-creation measures.

"I expect the budget statements next week will reflect the top priority this Government is giving to getting people back to work and generating employment," he said.

He was responding today to criticism of the Government’s record from Fianna Fáil spokesman on communications Éamon Ó Cuív and Sinn Féin spokeswoman on public expenditure Mary Lou McDonald.

Mr Ó Cuív said figures published yesterday showed there was a year-on-year increase of 4,500 people on the live register. In the case of people over 25, there was an increase of 9,500, while the decrease of nearly 5,000 among those under 25 was explained by the "extraordinary" emigration levels.

Mr Ó Cuív recalled the Tánaiste had said in October there had been a significant reduction in unemployment.

Ms McDonald said the figures reflected a 14.5 per cent unemployment rate. There were also shocking figures about the levels of poverty in society, she added.

Mr Gilmore said the figures showed that the single biggest problem facing the State was the unemployment problem.

He added the Government had introduced a jobs’ initiative in May and had also announced a number of measures following a Cabinet meeting last week.

A global Irish economic forum, bringing together people from the Irish diaspora to help restore the State’s reputation and attract investment, had been held.

The strategic investment fund had been set up to generate employment, while the new economic and recovery authority, under which semi-State agencies would operate, had been established.