Senator Tony Mulcahy

Clare records 21% drop in unemployment levels since early 2012
County Clare has recorded a 21% drop in unemployment levels during the past three years with more than two thousand people returning to work, according to Clare Fine Gael Senator Tony Mulcahy.
Senator Mulcahy was responding to latest CSO figures showing that unemployment nationally has fallen for 31 months in a row since the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs was launched in early 2012.
“Another drop in the Live Register in January emphasises that the economy is in recovery and that more people are entering the jobs market. I am particularly encouraged that the Live Register here in Clare has dropped by 20.74%, down from 10,508 to 8,329,” said Senator Mulcahy.
“This progress has been mirrored throughout the country. The national unemployment rate has fallen from 15.2% in 2012 to 10.5% now. There is however, more work to be done and I expect to see a further drop in these figures in the coming months.
“There have been some encouraging jobs announcements here in Clare in recent months. I want to ensure that we are able to compete with Dublin and Cork in attracting further foreign direct investment to the county. According to the IDA, 37% of investments in 2014 were made outside the main centres and the Government will work to continue this trend.
“Unemployment is falling steadily across the country, but very significantly we are now seeing a drop in rural areas as CSO figures show that the live register dropped in all eight regions of the country over the course of 2014. This year there will be an increased focus on job creation outside of the main urban centres as the Minister for Jobs, Richard Bruton is preparing to launch a pilot programme of the Regional Enterprise Strategy. This strategy will specifically address growing economies in rural areas,” added Senator Mulcahy