Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, to which I respond on behalf of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Martin. According to the latest quarterly household survey, which was published by the Central Statistics Office on 2 March last, the unemployment rate in the south-east region is 5.6%. While that is above the national average of 4.3%, it is a significant decrease on the figure in the previous survey, which indicated an unemployment rate of 6.2% in the south-east region. The live register figures indicate that the number of people on the live register in south Tipperary, including Carrick-on-Suir, is decreasing. The live register figures are prepared on a monthly basis. The figure for south Tipperary in February 2005 was 3,465, down from 3,532 in January 2005. The figure for February 2004, for the purposes of year-on-year comparison, was 3,889. There were 971 people on the live register in Carrick-on-Suir in February 2004. That figure is now down to 910. This is the group on whose behalf Deputy Healy made a plea.

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