Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)

Carrick-on-Suir is a lovely and progressive town with a population of approximately 5,000. Carrick-on-Suir Town Council has been involved in upgrading certain facilities in the town in recent years. It has improved the town's quality of life by pursuing a host of developments, such as the installation of quality public lighting, the provision of additional car parking facilities, the improvement of roads and footpaths and the development of a new children's play area. The town has an excellent location on the banks of the River Suir, which is a major asset to the town, and on the northern side of the Comeragh Mountains. It benefits from good transport facilities, such as the N24 national primary route and the railway line from Limerick to Waterford and Rosslare. It is near the ports of Waterford and Rosslare. As I have said, it is a fine and progressive town.

The level of unemployment in Carrick-on-Suir is totally and completely unacceptable. The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin, issued a press release on Wednesday, 2 March last following the announcement of the results of the national housing survey for the fourth quarter of 2004. He rightly suggested that the figures were positive and suggested they indicate that the Government's policies are working extremely well. He said the Government will continue to pursue the thrust of its successful approach, particularly by maintaining its emphasis on Ireland's competitiveness. While such sentiments are fine, they do not seem to have an impact in Carrick-on-Suir. It is not good enough that unemployment blackspots like that town are being swept under the carpet.

According to the most recent statistics, 910 of the approximately 5,000 people living in Carrick-on-Suir — just short of 20% — are on the live register. It is absolutely unacceptable that the rate of unemployment in the town is four or five times larger than the national rate. I agree with those in the town who feel that it has been abandoned by the Government and the Minister, Deputy Martin. Investment is taking place throughout the country and many places are benefiting from development and job creation. We need to ensure that towns like Carrick-on-Suir receive their fair share of that investment, however, rather than being forgotten. Many enterprises in the town, such as Irish Leathers and Schiesser, have closed down over the years.

Carrick-on-Suir, which is involved in the RAPID programme, was identified in a report some years ago as being in need of employment. There are high rates of unemployment and poverty in the town. In that context, it is shocking that the Government did not include Carrick-on-Suir in its decentralisation programme. The people of the town feel abandoned by the Government, which has done nothing to bring additional employment there. They are calling for the establishment of a jobs task force for Carrick-on-Suir to ensure that it gets its fair share of new employment. The sooner that is done, the better. The town has had a high level of unemployment for a number of years — it is not a problem that has developed overnight, but it needs to be addressed. I hope the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, can confirm that the Government, particularly the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, is prepared to do something positive for the town by establishing a task force to assist the creation of jobs there.

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