Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Acting Chairman for the opportunity to speak on this very important motion. Unemployment is a huge problem in this State and we need to act sensibly to protect and develop jobs in the real economy. We also have to be honest and open on this issue and deal with the facts. In 2012 almost 12,800 full-time jobs were lost to the economy and replaced by 14,000 part-time jobs. There has been a rise in under-employment with almost one third of part-time workers seeking additional hours. The Government's action plan on jobs fails to have annual targets for job creation or reduction in levels of unemployment and has failed the test of tackling unemployment. We also have to look very seriously at the failure of the bailout banks to support small and medium enterprises with increased new lending. The largest employer, the Government, has also shredded 30,000 jobs which has undermined public services. That is often left out of this debate. The employment crisis makes differing impacts on communities across the State and the Government has failed to address these inequalities.

We have also seen the resilience of the SME sector and the workers who have continued to work and produce goods and services in an economy which is being undermined by Government policy. Emigration is rarely mentioned. We are losing 1,600 young people every week. We have spent millions of euro training and educating these people and now they are on the road to Australia, New Zealand, England and America. The Government cannot ignore the SME sector and more needs to be done for it because it is the economy in communities that needs to be serviced. For example, in the Howth area, in my new constituency, Dublin Bay North, the proposed pay for parking is a huge issue. It will lead to major loss of jobs in the catering and tourism sectors, if the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney, and the Government implement it. This could affect between 300 and 500 jobs in the Howth region. I urge the Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy McGinley, to listen and to support the people of Howth by blocking the fee for parking issue because many retailers, small businesses and restaurants need support. If the Government implements this policy it will damage the integrity of those local jobs. I urge Deputies to support this motion. It is a very important motion and debate on jobs and we should all rally behind it.

See this speech in context