The unemployment figure today, at 3.9%, is the lowest ever in the history of the State in the context of a rising population. Over the past 20 or 25 years, the population has risen quite dramatically, yet our economy has really kept pace. The rate of 3.9% is the lowest unemployment rate in the history of the State. What it indicates is there is absorption capacity within the State in terms of those who will or have lost jobs in certain sectors. That is a very traumatic issue for the people concerned who lose jobs and the State needs to do everything we possibly can to support people to get new jobs and, if necessary, to train and reskill them to get alternative jobs.

In terms of collective bargaining, there has been significant work done in partnership with the trade union movement. Under the Labour Employer Economic Forum, LEEF, umbrella, last year the Government took very significant steps forward on that.

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