David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I had no intention of raising this issue but I want to support Senator Cáit Keane's comments about Paddy Power. It is despicable that any bookmaker would take bets on the outcome of any trial, not least a murder trial. It is very insensitive and should not be happening. I hope the company learns from this and that it does the right thing. It is intolerable and deplorable and it should be condemned.

I wish to raise an issue from my own home city and county of Waterford where yesterday in Dungarvan, 32 jobs losses were announced in Young Microbrush Limited, which is based in Dungarvan town. I offer my sympathies and support to those 32 workers who will lose their jobs. The House had a very good debate yesterday on the action plan for jobs. The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, was present for the debate. I raised with him an number of concerns about the unemployment figures. While there are some encouraging signs there seems to be a polarisation of growth, in that some parts of the country are not experiencing the levels of growth that they should have, the south east being one of those areas. The city and county of Waterford have very high levels of unemployment, in fact, the highest in the State and the same is true for the south-east region. Waterford merits particular attention. I continue to raise this matter in the House at every opportunity. It is crucial that when creating jobs it is done equally across the State and the island. Only a number of weeks ago, Honeywell Process Solutions in Waterford announced its closure with more job losses. The situation of continuous jobs losses is very difficult for the people of Waterford city and county. We seem to have the highest levels of unemployment in the State yet we are not getting the support from the Government, despite the promises.

I remind the acting Leader that the Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation published a report on the south east which made a series of recommendations. Ten priority recommendations were listed by the committee, most of which have not been implemented. If these were implemented it would create a level playing field and would support job creation and job retention in Waterford city and county and across the south east. While I welcome the creation of jobs in any part of the State, I am sure the acting Leader will agree that we must ensure that all cities and counties in all parts of the State benefit from the action plan for jobs.