Sinn Féin Stage Protest Over Jobs

Sinn Féin activists are holding a countrywide day of protest over the increase in unemployment.

Protests and pickets will take place at TD's and Ministers' offices, town centres, airports and ports.

The party said the protests are intended to increase the pressure on the Government to take action to create jobs after the Central Statistics Office published unemployment figures revealing an increase of almost 14,000 benefit claimants from June.

Sinn Fein said jobs can be created, solutions exist and the Government needs to act now.

Speaking yesterday after the release of the seasonally adjusted Live Register figures for July, Sinn Féin Spokesperson for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Arthur Morgan said the prognosis for economic recovery was dire, with no concrete job creation strategy on the horizon.

Deputy Morgan also criticised the Government’s overall complacency over job creation with over 452,500 on the dole and the numbers increasing every month.

Deputy Morgan said: "This Government is redundant. Unemployment has reached its highest peak and there is no concrete job creation strategy on the horizon.

"The labour-market remains in free-fall but the Government is far too complacent about this. Unemployment is not a price worth paying for a negligent Government – it destroys lives and leaves permanent scars on our communities. What this Government fails to accept is that behind every statistic is a personal tragedy."

Mr Morgan added that the Government was adept at announcing schemes and new jobs, but had a terrible record on actually creating jobs as reflected in the jump in the Live Register.

"The harsh reality is that this Government has underinvested in the public goods that support job growth – cuts to investment, infrastructure and capital spending have slashed opportunities for meaningful job creation.

"All they are capable of is well-fashioned publicity stunts that allude to job creation, but actually fail to deliver on these promises," he said.

(DW/BMcC)