SF Want Empey To Do More On Dole Queues

On foot of claims that as many as 20,000 more jobs could be lost across Northern Ireland in 2009, the Chair of the Committee for Employment and Learning at the Assembly has called for the Minister for Employment and Learning, Reg Empy, to do more.

Sinn Fein MLA Sue Ms Ramsey (pictured here) said: "He must do all in his power to safeguard and supply jobs for the coming year. It is not good enough to predict that over 300 jobs per week will be lost without providing a strategy to counter this," she insisted.

"He must provide an exhaustive list of initiatives and investments and examine cross departmental approaches to ensure that jobs are protected," she insisted.

Ms Ramsey also said: "Sinn Fein has highlighted that there are other factors inhibiting greater control of the economic crisis such as the delivery of greater fiscal powers to the Assembly and increased co-operation on the jobs front on an all-Ireland basis," noting that the impact of Dell cutting 1,900 staff in Limerick can be felt by suppliers and service providers in Northern Ireland.

"To close our minds at the border will not help ease the economic impact.

"Reg Empy must grasp these challenges and act accordingly to sustain employment opportunities over the coming year," she insisted.

Earlier, Sir Reg said 20,000 jobs could be lost in Northern Ireland over the course of 2009 and claimed that governments across Europe have been underestimating the impact the credit crunch is having so far.

The Ulster Unionist Party Leader said he expects the number of unemployed to reach as many as 50,000 by 2010.

See: Pay Cuts And 'Bankruptcy' Highlight Job Fears

(BMcC/JM)