Local TD and Fine Gael Innovation Spokesperson Deirdre Clune highlighted the fact that unemployment has jumped by 26,100 since the current Government came to power after the last General Election in 2007.

Since this Fianna Fáil/Green Government took office in June 2007 they have overseen the fastest growth in unemployment in the history of the State.

Figures released by the CSO (PDF 102kb) show that in the last two years unemployment in Cork has jumped by 160%. In June 2007 16,311 were on the Live Register in Cork by June 2009 this had increased to 42,411. These figures actually represent 26,100 people joining the live register in Cork in the last 24 months.

These figures do not take into account the job losses so far in July at Smurfit Kappa or Odlums.

Cork’s unemployment growth in this two year period of 160% has been well above the nationally average growth of 151.6%.

In some local offices the impact has been even worse. In the same two years unemployment in Carrigaline has jumped by 234% from 704 in June 2007 to 2353 in June 2009. This makes Carrigaline one of the areas hardest hit in the country by the current growth in unemployment.

Government mismanagement of the Irish economy has resulted in a loss in Irish competitiveness with devastating results for families across the country. Until the Government wakes up to the seriousness of the current unemployment crisis and makes job creation and job protection a priority we will continue to see unemployment growth at historic levels.