Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin has acknowledged giving incorrect information to the Dáil on Ireland's unemployment level.
The Minister told Fine Gael employment spokesman Leo Varadkar during a debate on competitiveness on December 4th that, "together with Denmark and the Netherlands, we have the lowest unemployment rates in the OECD, the organisation of developed economies".
Mr Varadkar subsequently wrote to the Minister to point out that, in fact, Ireland was joint fifth lowest in the unemployment table of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Admitting his mistake, Mr Martin wrote back to Mr Varadkar on January 29th: "I very much appreciate your bringing to my attention the detailed point on OECD statistics. Clearly, the word 'among' slipped out of the sentence in my script which you quoted: 'Together with Denmark and the Netherlands, we have among the lowest unemployment rates in the OECD'.
"On the substantive point I was making in my speech, I think you will agree that the Irish position is very creditable, being in joint fifth lowest position among the 27 states listed in November last. I do not have the time, nor do I think it appropriate to ask my department, to undertake a forensic examination of all the assertions made by opposition deputies in the debate in question. Indeed it is unnecessary anyway because I fully accept the integrity of, and legitimacy of, the points of view expressed by deputies, not least in the cut and thrust of political debate in the Dáil, even where I profoundly differ with those perspectives."
The Minister concludes by informing Mr Varadkar that, "as you did, I am copying my reply to the Ceann Comhairle and the editor of the Dáil debates".
An OECD table enclosed with the Minister's letter shows that, in November 2007, Ireland had the joint fifth-lowest unemployment rate, along with Austria, at 4.3 per cent.
Mr Varadkar said: "Unemployment is definitely increasing substantially. Not only is the Minister uninterested and unconcerned, he actually seems to be unaware. He doesn't know and he doesn't seem to care. Unemployment has gone up from 4.4 per cent to 4.9 per cent since he took office. On the basis of any benchmark, he shouldn't be getting his pay increase, for a start."