Liveregister upinDundalk

THE number of people on the live register in Dundalk showed a marginal increase last month, according to the latest figures from the CSO.

There were 5,354 people in receipt of unemployment benefits in Dundalk at the end of May, up 2.8% on the previous month.

In Louth as whole, there were 12,275 people in dole queues,up 1.1% on the number for April.

Drogheda still retains the highest number of people on the live register.

Responding to the CSO figures Peter Fitzpatrick, said that a reduction of almost 30% in unemployment in Louth over the past five years is proof of the government’s commitment to creating sustainable employment.

‘When I first entered politics in 2011 almost 18,000 men and women were unemployed in County Louth, and nearly 2,000 Enterprise Ireland and IDA jobs were lost in the county.

‘ That was five years ago and thankfully things are now changing radically for the better. In November 2015 the number of men and women unemployed in County Louth stood at just over 12,500.

That was a drop of just under 6,000 in the space of five years, a reduction of unemployment in County Louth by almost 30%.

‘Many of the new jobs in County Louth have been created by the indigenous small businesses, who have started to benefit from the economic recovery.’

‘Louth has also benefited from foreign direct investment. In the last three years one in ten of all foreign direct investment jobs came to the county.’

Companies like PayPal, eBay, National Pen, Sales Sense, East Coat Bakehouse, Prometric and Moorehill lodge are just some of the larger companies in Louth who have been instrumental in creating the new jobs, alongside the many SME’s.

But our work is not done and we must continue to build towards full sustainable employment.