Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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1. To ask the Taoiseach the number of persons in employment in County Meath for each of the past ten years. [4460/25]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The exact information requested by the Deputy is not available. The labour force survey, LFS, carried out by the CSO, is the official source of estimates of employment in the State. The most recent figures available are for the fourth quarter of 2024. The figures for this response use the second quarter as the reference period for the year. Due to the methodology and sample size of the survey, it is not possible to produce reliable county estimates from the LFS. Regional estimates of employment are produced at the NUTS 3 level. NUTS are the geocode standard developed and regulated by Eurostat. The NUTS 3 mid-east region includes counties Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow. I will give a sample of the number of persons aged 15 to 89 in employment in the mid-east between the second quarter of 2014 and the second quarter of 2024. I will not go through all the figures because the Deputy will get them in writing. In 2014, there were 284,200 persons in employment. In 2024, there were 405,600 people in employment. While this region covers the counties of Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow, it does not give a specific breakdown. The Deputy can have a copy of this information. These figures and further data relating to the Irish labour market, with a regional breakdown, can be accessed on the CSO website.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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Ar dtús, gabhaim comhghairdeachas leis an Aire Stáit ar a post nua. Is bean láidir í agus guím gach rath uirthi sa phost nua.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Go raibh maith agat.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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There is a problem with the spatial development of the country. The main driver of spatial development currently is the system whereby young people who go to college cannot get a job other than in Dublin. The reality is most young people cannot afford to live in Dublin. What happens then is that they live 30 km, 40 km or 50 km from Dublin and they join the commuter belt. Evidence of this is that the average age in Killarney is now ten years older than in Balbriggan. We are changing the spatial picture in the country because of the lack of spatial development.

This is putting an awful lot of people in a difficult position. County Meath, for example, has the highest number of commuters in the country. Well over 45,000 people leave the county every day to go to work. It happens in no other local authority area that such a large number of people leave. At least 17,000 people are commuting for well over one hour daily and many of them for up to two and three hours. They are in commuter hell. It has a massive effect not just on the environment and the cost in people's pockets but also on families. I have no doubt that many mothers and fathers are getting home so late in the evening they hardly have a small window of time during which they can put their children to bed. Everything is squeezed into an hour and a half of family life. I have no doubt as well that this is leading to significant levels of anxiety among small children because of them not having access to their parents at all during the day. Significant problems, therefore, are occurring in this regard. We either need jobs in County Meath or we need a proper transport system into Dublin. We do not have it. We have been promised the rail line, but it is not going to be built until 2036. It is too long to wait. We need the rail line speeded up as soon as possible.

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The local enterprise office, LEO, supports the creation of many jobs in County Meath. The 2024 annual employment survey of LEO clients once again shows positive job creation across most LEOs. In 2024, the local enterprise office in County Meath provided grant assistance to 259 small businesses, thereby helping them to support 1,455 jobs and to create 255 new jobs. The plan the Deputy mentioned has five clear strategies to balance regional development. Highlights from the mid-east region include the Boyne Valley food hub having opened in May 2023 and Meath County Council participating in a pan-European programme to determine circular economy best practices for small businesses.

Funding of €5.2 million was awarded under rural regeneration development for the development of the Athy Food, Drink & Skills Innovation Hub. I understand we are covering a total area in that regard. Clermont Screen Hub officially opened on 26 October 2023. Currently, we have full employment, and there are often unintended consequences. I take on board the point the Deputy makes about parents having a long commute and family time being affected by that.