Mainstream 'ignoring' unemployment

Mainstream political parties have been accused of ignoring the issues of unemployment and emigration in the election campaign.

The United Left Alliance, which is running 19 candidates in the election, also claimed the policies of Fine Gael and Labour would lead to a further rise in unemployment.

At a photocall held outside the Passport Office on Molesworth Street in Dublin, candidates for the alliance criticised mainstream political parties for their refusal to offer new jobs initiatives which would stem the flow of emigration.

"Emigration and unemployment are the key issues coming up again and again among the people we're talking too on the ground, particularly among older people who are upset at seeing their grandchildren having to leave the country," said Cllr Joan Collins, a People Before Profit/ULA candidate for the Dublin South Central constituency.

"It's outrageous that there's 450,000 people on the dole and a thousand a week having to emigrate to go find jobs while at the same time there's billions going into the banks," she added.

Ms Collins called for the State to invest in new infrastructure programmes to help kickstart the economy.

"There's another €29 billion to go into the banks, which is something supported by both Fine Gael and Labour and we're saying don't put that into the banks, invest it in jobs instead," she said.

"Following the foundation of the State the ESB was set up and 1000s of jobs were created to bring electricity into peoples homes and we believe that similar initiatives are needed now.

"The feedback we're getting on the doors is that people want change. They want to see a change in faces and the introduction of new policies that reflect what's needed in the community. We should be asking what needs to be done at a community level to create employment and responding to it properly," she added.