DEPUTY Deirdre Clune has today stated that the Government’s refusal to listen is driving up Ireland’s unemployment rate and claims that small changes could make a big difference to the country’s overall recovery

Since my appointment as Fine Gael spokesperson on Innovation and Research, and for a long time before that, I have been continuously calling on the government to put their energies into innovative ways to create jobs. To invest money in third level research projects, to support infrastructure that will endorse the smart economy we strive to achieve, to use innovate ways to entice foreign investment and to change legislation that will stop hampering the enthusiastic unemployed people who have great business ideas and possess an appetite for creating jobs and establishing new businesses. The Government continue not to listen and our unemployment rate continues to grow.

Today’s (Thursday) figures show a significant increase yet again in the number of people who have been forced to sign on to the Live Register due to the lack of job opportunities in the country. The standardised unemployment rate in July was 13.7%, a rise of 8,500 people or in more real terms, 8,500 families further affected.

These figures, it must be remembered, are not taking into account the high number of people who have emigrated or the people who are involved in state training initiatives and a significant rise in individuals remaining in education skewing the figures as highlighted by the Irish Small & Medium Enterprises Association.

Once again I am calling on the Government to change legislation regarding bankruptcy to allow failed business people to contribute with their experience, to invest in commercially focused PHD research programmes, to improve broadband services so small and medium enterprises can thrive in current broadband unfriendly areas and to change the requirements of the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance to allow entrepreneurs to get funding to start businesses sooner.