John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 132: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of job losses in Waterford City and county in the past three years and to date in 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45753/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Unemployment is measured by the Quarterly National Household Survey or QNHS and published by the Central Statistics Office. It does not provide data on particular counties but only on Regions. Employment in the South East Region, which includes Waterford, has decreased by 10,400 while unemployment has increased by 23,000 in the period Quarter 2 2006 to Quarter 2 2009 (April-June).

In relation to the numbers of jobs lost, there is no exact measure, however, the Department records the number of redundancies notified to them on a monthly basis. The following table sets out the number of redundancy notifications received for County Waterford for the years 2006 to date.

The Government are taking specific measures to ensure that job retention and job creation are maximised. Enterprise Ireland has prepared a new recovery strategy to assist its clients. This strategy refocuses Enterprise Ireland's efforts in strengthening and sustaining companies of strategic importance through a range of initiatives focused on the needs of their client base. Enterprise Ireland's supports to businesses include:

The Enterprise Stabilisation Fund. The fund supplies direct financial support to internationally trading enterprises that are investing in cost reduction or other measures to gain sales in overseas markets.

The Employment Subsidy Scheme has been introduced to support the maintenance of vulnerable jobs and prevent people from being made redundant in this challenging national and global economic environment.

As part of a sustained, co-ordinated, integrated approach to jobsearch, training, education and work placement supports, I have doubled the provision of training and work experience places managed by FÁS to over 130,000. I have also increased the referral capacity of FÁS Employment Services from the Department of Social and Family Affairs to 147,00 persons in 2009. The Government has therefore enacted a broad range of measures to support companies and individuals in these difficult economic times and we will continue to do so in the future.