Substantial Rise in Live Register in December
6 Jan 2011
While the substantial rise in the Live Register in December is a shame, the deflationary economic programme imposed upon Ireland by the Government in league with the EU/ECB/IMF will make things worse in the coming year, Paul Sweeney, Economic Advisor to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions said.
The rates of unemployment are highest among the lower educational groups and the absence of a real jobs programme and in investment in skills and training means that the most vulnerable will continue to be hit most.
The rate of unemployment is up again to 13.4%. This figure would have been far higher only for the resumption of mass emigration. The net outflow was around 70,000 to April last and it is expected to be of a similar number for the year to April 2011.
Emigration is only a "safety valve" for the Government. For those forced to leave Ireland, it is shameful betrayal of their ambitions.
Instead of pouring billions of our savings from the Pension Reserve Fund into zombie banks, the new Government must invest this precious money, which we have in hand, in jobs, in skills and in the real economy, Sweeney concluded.
For further information contact:
Paul Sweeney, Congress Economic Advisor on 086 2052572