The Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association (ISME) has today raised concerns about the number of long term unemployed and has called on the Government to tackle the cost of living to offset unjustified pay demands.
While acknowledging the reduction of 46,311 on the Live Register in the year to September, the Association highlighted the 130,772 long term unemployed which now stands at 46% of all claimants.
In the up and coming Budget, the Association called on Government to reduce government influenced business costs to below the EU average and to target capital investment in job rich infrastructure.
ISME CEO, Neil McDonnell said, "The emphasis for this Government must be on getting the 286,490 people on the dole back to work. This can be achieved by reducing state controlled costs."
He added, "Government needs to build more houses to offset any excessive increases in rents, reduce the excise duties on certain goods and reduce the high VAT rate from 23% to 21% on all goods to boost the domestic economy."
Source: www.businessworld.ie