I share the Deputy's concern in relation to the employment situation in County Leitrim. I wish to emphasise that the Government, through the enterprise development agencies, is committed to ensuring an equitable distribution of job opportunities and to encouraging the establishment of industry in the regions. In particular, the Border, midlands and west region, which includes County Leitrim, is a priority area for employment promotion by the agencies concerned – IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and the county enterprise boards.
The latest CSO live register analysis shows that those claiming unemployment benefits in the north-west region, counties Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo, fell from 17,822 in March 1997 to 13,347 at the end of 2001, a drop of 25%. To maintain this trend, the development agencies are continuing to be particularly proactive in the region. The number of jobs created by companies assisted by these agencies in County Leitrim over the past five years, 1997-2001, is set out in tabular form below.