Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have given the Deputy the figures on the improvements in job creation, including the reduction in the unemployment rate. It is good progress. However, I accept that more needs to be done and that the unemployment rate is higher than the overall national rate. It was more than 1% higher in the second quarter of 2017 than the national average of 6.4%. The building blocks are in place, however, between the work of the regional action plan, the industries that are there already and the IDA's property programme, which is supporting development in the area.

The development of the technological university will make a difference in respect of the issue of young people leaving the area, which was mentioned by the Deputy. We want to focus on making sure that young people who are educated locally can get jobs in their own area. I refer to the Bausch and Lamb development in Waterford recently and other initiatives. The first tranche of the regional enterprise fund is €35 million and applications are being examined currently. Regional development is one of the key criteria that must be used.

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