Wyse calls on action for south east unemployment

Fianna Fáil Waterford Cllr Gary Wyse has called on the Government to take immediate action to tackle the south east’s huge unemployment crisis.

It has emerged this week that the live register in Waterford City is edging towards 15,000, which represents an increase of more than 400 for May and June.

Cllr Wyse commented: “The increase comes less than a month after it was confirmed that the south east had the highest unemployment rate in the country. I am again calling on the Government to make the south east Region an ‘assisted area'.

“On a recent visit to Waterford, I asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Employment, Richard Bruton TD, to do what Margaret Thatcher’s Government once did in Northamptonshire.  A steelworks closed with devastating consequences for the area. In response, the Government offered tax breaks to large companies to locate in the area and this in turn attracted large companies like Weetabix and RS components to the area. These companies are still operating from the same location providing welcome jobs some 30 years later. This Government should pursue a similar strategy for the south east.

“The issue of unemployment in Waterford now needs an urgent response from this Government if it is serious about the commitments it has given to attract employers to the region.”