Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will. First, I welcome any improvement that has happened in the figures. However, one should be able to be critical of the issues that still are not right within the economy. In recent years, a large amount of pent-up investment has come to the fore and has found itself in the creation of some of these jobs. In addition, the export figures that were weak in 2013 have strengthened this year, which also has led to the increase in gross domestic product, GDP. However one key issue with regard to the jobs crisis in the State is that internationally, Ireland is an outlier with regard to the number of people who have lost their jobs since 2008 and in respect of the current unemployment crisis. However, the Government's response has been extremely meek in trying to resolve the issue.

One should look at the figures since the present Administration came to power in 2011. Before the last election, Labour Party posters appeared stating that 70,000 new jobs had been created.

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