Local TD and Fine Gael Innovation Spokesperson Deirdre Clune expressed her shock and concern at the increasingly rapid growth of unemployment in Cork.

The sight of people queuing outside social welfare offices has become common all over Cork in the last few months but this makes the recent CSO figures no less shocking. CSO figures confirm that in January alone Cork has seen a jump of 14.1% in unemployment. The numbers of Cork people on the live register grew by almost 128 people a day every day in January growing from 28,064 to 32,018. (link to pdf 97KB)

The number of people on the Live Register in Cork City alone has increased by 1,744 to 14,381 in January.

In response to this growing crisis we need leadership and vision from our Government. We need a Taoiseach willing to listen to advice and provide a long term plan for recovery not one that insists on doing the job his way no matter how bad he may be at it.

The bank guarantee scheme could be used to require that banks work with businesses in difficulty and put a loan guarantee scheme in place to protect existing jobs. Job creation could be stimulated by exempting those businesses who take on extra staff from Employer’s PRSI. Training and education needs to be focused on as the key to long term recovery.