The following motion was moved by Deputy Jonathan O'Brien on Tuesday, 12 March 2013:“That Dáil Éireann:notes that: — the disastrous economic management of the previous Fianna Fáil Government resulted in unemployment rates rising from 5 per cent in 2008 to 13 per cent in 2009, peaking at 14.3 per cent in September 2010; and unemployment rates have continued at this level under the current Government; — the rates of long-term unemployment have increased, with almost 60 per cent of all unemployed persons out of work for more than 12 months; and the youth unemployment level is in excess of 27 per cent; and— the levels of emigration have increased over the past two years, with 167,000 leaving since 2011, which equates to over 1,600 people leaving every week; further notes: — in 2012 almost 12,800 net full-time jobs were lost in the economy and replaced by 14,000 part-time jobs; — the rise in underemployment, with almost one third of part-time workers seeking additional hours; — that the Government Action Plan on Jobs fails to have annual targets for job creation or reductions in levels of unemployment and has failed the test of tackling unemployment; — the failure of bailout banks to support Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs, with increased new lending; — that as the largest employer, the Government has shredded 30,000 jobs, which has undermined public services; — that the employment crisis has a differential impact on communities across the State and the Government has failed to address these inequalities; — the resilience of our SME sector and our workers who have continued to work and produce goods and services in an economy undermined by Government policy; and — the negative impact of the border with regard to realising the economic potential of our island; acknowledges that the Government: — has failed to impact, in a substantive way, on the unemployment crisis; — has a role to play in creating and retaining jobs; and — should fully support workers and the SME sector to promote growth and jobs; and calls on the Government to: — establish a jobs stimulus fund of €13 billion to reflect the scale of the crisis we face; — target investment towards projects that will create employment, develop infrastructure and enhance our competitiveness; — tackle barriers to competitiveness by: — abolishing upward only rent review clauses; — addressing excessive utility, legal and insurance costs; — introducing progressive commercial rates; and — combatting cartels; — pledge that citizens are not forced into emigration by economic necessity; and to put in place schemes that will guarantee young people jobs, training or continued education; — develop regional targets and budgets to promote job creation and tackle economic inequalities; and — work with the Northern Ireland Executive to promote an all-island approach to skills, job creation and economic growth.”

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