Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

I am pleased to have an opportunity to make a brief contribution to this important and timely debate. While I am sometimes reluctant to discuss my constituency in great detail, I was reminded during the contribution of the previous speaker that Deputies should not be afraid to talk about the area from which they come. My colleagues will be aware that I am from Tallaght. Deputy Leo Varadkar told me earlier that he expected me to refer to Tallaght during this debate. I am not afraid to refer to Tallaght and the wider Dublin South-West area.

I, like every other Deputy, must face the challenge of job creation. Throughout my career, whether as a community worker, councillor on South Dublin County Council and Dublin County Council or Dáil Deputy, I have never been afraid to discuss the positive contribution that can be made to Dublin South-West and the job creation challenges facing the area. Recent figures indicating that 5,303 people are unemployed in Tallaght, of whom 3,710 are males and 1,593 females, highlight the problem facing the area. I was a founder member and chairman of the Get Tallaght Working group in 1984 at a time when we had to focus on job creation needs. I am glad that in the intervening period, particularly since the opening in 1990 of The Square, it has been possible to meet the area's employment needs. Tallaght, the third largest population centre in Ireland, has become a positive, progressive place.

While I sympathise with Deputies who make the case for their respective regions, Tallaght and the surrounding districts in Dublin South-West have a credible case to make. I will continue to approach Ministers on behalf of my constituents. Without wishing to get the Minister of State, Deputy Kelleher, into trouble, he has always been supportive of my work.

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