Dublin Central Fine Gael Senator Paschal Donohoe has called for political leadership that understands Dublin’s needs after the latest live register figures showed that almost 100,000 Dubliners are still on the dole.
Senator Donohoe called for a job-creation plan for the capital after CSO figures showed that 99,940 people signed in Dublin in October, including 20,363 people under the age of 25.
Fianna Fáil hasn’t a clue about what Dublin needs. Dublin is being hammered by unemployment with another 41,175 joining the live register in the last 12 months, the biggest rise in the country. Dublin now has the same number of people on the live register as Cork, Galway, Limerick, and Donegal combined.
“We have to get Dublin working again. The frustration among employers and employees is palatable. That is why so many business leaders turned out for Fine Gael’s Business Forum meeting last week in Dublin.
We need a jobs plan for the capital, with a strong emphasis on creating retail jobs. And for that to happen, we need an environment which supports business. That is why Fine Gael has proposed:
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Cuts in both rates of VAT;
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A freeze on local authority rates;
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An end to upward only rent reviews;
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A PRSI exemption or wage subsidy for companies which take on extra staff;
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Cutting the cost of red tape;
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Slashing energy costs;
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Providing more support for business start-ups.
“Dublin’s young people are being driven abroad once again. A litany of companies have closed down in the city, and I am calling for a renewed emphasis on attracting multinationals. The city’s infrastructure is still undeveloped by international standards, and major projects like the metro would provide an immediate boost to employment levels.
“Fine Gael met this week with 227 business leaders to discuss job creation and the forthcoming Budget. But Brian Cowen’s politics of failure have nothing to offer Dubliners.”