Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)

Not one net job has been created during the past 12 months that the Government has been in office. The reality is that unemployment is literally at the same point it was at the start of the year.

I have two simple questions for the Minister. First, can he give those who are unemployed and who are emigrating any succour by indicating whether he thinks if we are sitting here in the same position this time next year, that unemployment will have fallen? Second, in regard to the financial services sector, of which he has plenty advance notice that there will be a massive fall-out in terms of employment, has he done any advance planning to address that because it is imminent?

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