Level Of Irish Redundancies Fall

The latest figures for redundancy claims for the first 11 months of the year show a drop of 16,970, or 23%, on the number filed for the same period last year.

That's according to the Dáil Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, Batt O'Keeffe who said that in the first 11 months of last year, 72,880 redundancy claims were lodged to the Department and, so far this year, that figure is 55,910.

Minister O'Keeffe described the redundancy figures, which follow yesterday's fall in the live register for the third consecutive month, as "encouraging" and "point to a stabilising economy and labour market".

"These figures show that the Government's jobs plan is working and we are gradually getting our people back into the labour force as Ireland's economy stabilises.

"Unemployment still remains too high and the Government will continue to frontload investment in the enterprise agenda and implement the four-year national recovery plan to get people back to work and restore sustainable prosperity," said Minister O'Keeffe.

He pointed out that the enterprise economy is now in a strong growth trend, with the most recent trade figures showing a 4% rise in exports and the foreign direct investment sector performing well.

"Since I took office in March, 3,262 jobs backed by the Government's job creation agencies, IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, have been announced, or 13 jobs every day on average.

"We are taking specific actions to improve competitiveness across all sectors of the economy including measures to cut costs in energy, waste and transport, broadband infrastructure, professional fees, property and labour," said the Minister.

(BMcC/GK)