Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)

In view of the Minister's reply today and his replies to other questions in the last session is it not true that he has washed his hands of job creation in Carrick-on-Suir? Since the deputation met the Minister on 19 July last, no job has been created and there has been no site visit to the town. The Minister and the Government have abandoned the town of Carrick-on-Suir. There are 960 people unemployed among the town's population of 5,000. Does the Minister understand what that means?

This is not something that occurred recently; it has been the case for ten to 15 years. The Minister's party has been in Government for all but two of the past 20 years but it has not raised a hand to create employment in Carrick-on-Suir. There is the same level of unemployment in the town today as there was when the Minister's party came into office in 1997. It is time to establish a jobs task force to ensure that industry is located in Carrick-on-Suir. Priority must be given to the town because it is an unemployment black spot. I hope the Minister will establish such a task force to ensure job creation and investment there.

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