Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have no problem with meeting the chairman. It still does not change the fact that unemployment is 18.4%. I have not been told about any direct actions that will happen. I was in here last week with the Minister for Social Protection who told me that I should be happy to hear that the number of people on the live register in the south east had dropped from 28,500 to 24,900. In fact, the figure for the south east in November 2016 is 41,556 so God knows what the Minister was thinking of but he was completely out with his figures.

I realise that it is not easy to pluck jobs out the sky but the area has been neglected and Wexford has been the most neglected part of the south east. There is an argument that when the private sector is not prepared or interested in supplying jobs, the State should engage directly in employing people. It would not cost the Government much more and there is some benefit from it. It would take people off the dole and give them State work. If the initiative is right and the interest is there, improvements can be made, but we need action.

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