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

I welcome the opportunity to make a brief contribution to this important debate. I am sorry my colleague and friend, Deputy Willie Penrose, is not here because I wanted to compliment him on proposing this motion. I hope nobody will hold it against me if I say that some of my views are compatible with those of Deputy Penrose. As my colleague, Deputy Niall Collins, has mentioned Limerick a few times, I presume I can mention Tallaght from time to time in my contribution. I would like to talk about Tallaght because I am a Dublin-based Deputy. I represent Dublin South-West. I live in Tallaght, which is the third largest population centre in the country. Unemployment is an issue in Tallaght, as it is everywhere else. Over 8,500 people in the Tallaght region are unemployed. I have previously mentioned in the House that I bring to my political life my experience of being made unemployed three times. Some Members of the House think it might happen again.

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