Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have no shortage of advice from some of the celebrity economists attached to some of our business schools or from various people who worked in the IMF over the years. We read all the advice. Sometimes it misses the point and at other times it is accurate. It is true that one of the big problems facing us is long-term unemployment. What has happened since we entered Government is that the live register measure of unemployment has reduced from 15.1% to 13.3%. Despite all the difficulties associated with the programme, we are beginning to make ground. Some 33,000 jobs, net, were created in the past 12 months or so. This is approximately 3,000 jobs per month. However, there is a difficulty and I do not believe labour activation measures alone will solve it. There is a skills mismatch between many people on the live register and the kinds of people industry is looking for. There are approximately 80,000 people with construction industry skills. The next phase of job creation will involve getting people back to work in the construction industry.

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