PRODUCT PROFILE

Latest Dublin Prices

ISME: Action Plan for Jobs is failing

Wednesday, October 03 12:04:49

The Government's Action Plan for Jobs is failing miserably, according to small and medium sized business lobby group, ISME today.

It called on the Government to provide direct support to SMEs to create and maintain jobs.

With the unemployment figures remaining stubbornly high and long term unemployment increasing month on month, ISME called for an immediate overhaul of the 'dead at birth' Action Plan for Jobs and a renewed focus on specific and immediate reductions in business and public sector costs.

The latest seasonally adjusted live register figures confirm that 435,200 people are claiming assistance down 400 in the month. Consequently the standardised unemployment rate remains at 14.8pc. The now familiar rise in long-term unemployed continues unabated, standing at a disgraceful 45pc of the total, it said.

According to ISME Chief Executive Mark Fielding, "the numbers speak for themselves - this Government is clearly failing in its efforts to tackle the jobs crisis, and no amount of long-fingered promises of multinational jobs tomorrow will satisfy the crying need for local jobs today. The truth of the matter is that there is no plan, A or B and the SME sector, the real local job providers, are not getting the support needed to get any sort of recovery on track. Business costs continue to rise and the consumer is frightened to death to spend, leading to utter stagnation in the marketplace".