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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 3 Oct 2000

Vol. 523 No. 1

Written Answers. - Unemployment Levels.

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

192 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on the unemployment statistics in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19881/00]

The latest quarterly national household survey, which was published by the Central Statistics Office on 12 September 2000, shows that there have been positive labour market developments in the Border areas as a whole with growth in employment and falls in unemployment in the 12 months to second quarter 2000. During this period the fall in the unemployment rate, at over two percentage points, was greater in the Border region, which includes Donegal, than the fall in the unemploy ment rate of 1.4 percentage points for the State as a whole.

The key to reductions in unemployment rests with job creation. Industrial development in particular areas of the country is a day to day matter for the industrial development agencies and not one in which I have a direct function. The need for more balanced regional development has been brought to the core of IDA Ireland's agenda since it has committed to seek to increase the Objective 1 region's share of jobs in Greenfield Projects from 25%, at present, to 50%. IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland have, moreover, reorganised their Donegal based services to deal with regional issues including actions arising from the Donegal task force report.

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