Today’s unemployment figures showing an increase of 2,600 in the seasonally adjusted numbers of persons signing on in May, brings the unemployment rate up 0.1% to 14.8% and highlights the urgent need to implement the measures outlined in the Jobs Initiative- to get people back to work.
The figures are stark, 443,400 people are now on the live register with 80,968 of these being under 25 years of age. Thankfully the rate of increase in the numbers on the live register, from the huge increases of 2009 and 2010, has fallen dramatically. We are, however, now facing huge challenges of youth unemployment and increased numbers of job seekers classified as long term unemployed.
Both I and my Labour colleagues said that in Government we would prioritise job creation and this is exactly what we have done in the recently announced jobs initiative. In this we outlined stimulus measures to create employment in labour intensive areas such as tourism, infrastructure and retrofitting while providing extra training, education and internship places to get people back to work.
These measures should now be supported by all Deputies in the house to tackle what is a national crisis.
I intend to play my role in this regard by hiring an intern under the National Internship Scheme when it begins in July. I would urge all employers who are in a position to hire an intern, to do so, to give a job seeker the opportunity to develop their skills and gain experience in the workplace.
For too long there has been delay and inaction on the jobs crisis and with the jobs initiative we have made the first step in getting people back to work. It is the first of many steps to be taken but I will be working with my colleagues in Government over the coming years, to utilise every tool of the State to tackle this crisis and begin the process of recovery.
For more information on the Jobs Initiative and the National Internship Scheme and how it might help you in your case please send me an email to john.lyons@oireachtas.ie
No comments:
Post a Comment