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Healy Blasts Government on Job Creation

Tipperary has been abandoned by this government.

Unemployment now stands at over 15,500 in this County, having increased again for the last 2 consecutive months.

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All major towns in the County now have unemployment rates close to or more than twice the National average.

Meanwhile, the Industrial Development Authority Report for 2013 and the first 6 months of 2014, announced earlier this week, make grim reading for the County. Not a single job announcement for Tipperary. The IDA announced 100 new investments in the first 6 months of 2014 which combined will lead to the creation of 8000 jobs. Not a single one of these jobs were in Tipperary.

Government Policy is directing IDA jobs to the east coast, Cork, Limerick and Galway. This must stop and Government T.D.’s and Senators for Tipperary must make it stop.

Minister Kelly and Hayes have a special responsibility here.

Well established, flagship, multinationals in the life sciences, of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, already in the County, must be used to gateway further foreign direct investment and jobs for the County. A replacement industry for the former Johnson & Johnson state of the art plant in Cashel must be found without further delay.

At home, a public works programme must be started, building houses for the 90,000 families on local authority waiting lists, schools, hospitals and laying new water mains and sewerage schemes. This would have the effect of putting thousands of building workers back to work, saving on social welfare payments, increasing income tax and providing much needed public services.  This would produce significant savings and boost the economy.

A must for job creation is an end to austerity.

Taking billions of euros out of the economy especially in the retail trade. Closed shops on the main streets of our town are testament to that folly.

Consumer confidence fell sharply in May 2014 and has not recovered in June. Our economy needs a boost, not more austerity.

Government T.D’s and Senators for Tipperary must make sure that Tipperary gets its fair share of job creation and must support policies that will put the thousands on our dole queues back to work.