David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There are more people on labour activation courses and in education and training. The announcements are not all due to the fact that jobs are being created.

We also need to examine regional development and what is happening in the regions. I come from the south east, as the Acting Leader will know. Only yesterday I received figures from both the IDA and Enterprise Ireland that offer a breakdown, on a county-by-county basis, of jobs created by IDA-supported and Enterprise Ireland-supported companies and jobs lost. With regard to the IDA, 75 jobs were created in 2012 in Waterford while 186 were lost. With regard to Enterprise Ireland in the same county, 692 jobs were created and 846 were lost. There are still regional disparities, therefore, and there is still high unemployment in some parts of the State.

While it is obviously welcome that we are witnessing a drop in unemployment – I accept there is an increase in employment and job creation – it still is not enough for all those who are unemployed. I genuinely believe we must continue to focus on this issue. It ought to be the No. 1 priority for all of us, both in government and opposition. In the wake of what the Government would say and what I accept is positive about the figures that have emerged in recent weeks, it is an opportune time for us to have a discussion on how to build on those figures and create more jobs for those who are currently out of work.