Rose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge what Mr. McGuinness has said about unemployment and the catastrophic nature of what is happening in rural Ireland and the west, in particular, where there has been no targeted investment. We saw some of the figures released last week for places such as Ard na Rí in Ballina where the rate of unemployment is 31.4%. In my area, Binghamstown, the rate is at 29.9% and in the Ballina urban area, 27.7%. However, the narrative and Government policy are being framed by the fact that there is almost full employment. The disparity experienced by the communities from which we come has not been addressed. There is not even an acknowledgement of the extent of the problem and until we get such an acknowledgement, we cannot hope to find real sustainable solutions. Does Mr. McGuinness agree with me?