THURSDAY, MAR 15 2018
NEWS 7
Since 2012, nearly 5,000 back making a living in Co Clare STUART HOLLY editor@clareecho.ie
T
HE number of people signing on the Live Register in Clare has dropped by 15 per cent in the last year. Minister Pat Breen said, “It is very positive to see that the number of people signing on the Live Register in Clare has reduced by 15 per cent in the last year. I am not surprised by this significant drop however given the increased number of job announcements in the region in the last 12 months. “In Clare alone companies such as Jaguar Land Rover, Element Six Shannon and Bechman Coulter Lismeehan announced they would be significantly growing their workforce. A further 28 new jobs were created following the merger of the UJet Group and STS Component Solutions and the creation of their European Hub in Shannon. Meanwhile 149 new jobs
were delivered in 2017 by small businesses in Co Clare that have been supported by Local Enterprise Office Clare. “Clare recorded it’s highest ever level of IDA site visits in 2017. As many as 22 visits were made to the county by potential investors last year, up from just five in 2013. There is a renewed focus on attracting industry to Clare and my priority is to continue to build on this strong job creation performance this year,” added the Clare minister of state. “Job Creation at Enterprise Ireland Companies in Clare was up 4% in 2017, with a total of 3,709 people now employed by EI supported companies in this county.” “Since Fine Gael’s Action Plan for Jobs was launched in February 2012, the Clare Live Register has decreased locally by 45%. This is 4,678 people who are back making a living, to the benefit of themselves, their families and the local communities in which they live. “We can see clearly that the Action Plan for Jobs is continuing to work. Recent jobs data indicates that there are 48,100 more people at work since this time last year. Our enterprise-based economy is now creating over 900 jobs a week,” said Minister Breen.
l BACK TO HIS ROOTS: Ger Dollard honoured at the Old Ground by three voluntary groups; Clare Roots Society, Ennis Tidy Towns and Clarecastle Community Group, to honour his work with community groups during his time in Clare Co Co Eamon Ward “Unemployment has fallen steadily from a peak of 16% in 2012 to 6% in February 2018. Ireland is a stable, competitive, secure economy that is open for business. Jobs are also growing in rural Ireland, with 9 out of every 10 jobs created in the past year outside of Dublin. And these are not just in the commuter belt, with 7 out of every
10 jobs created outside of Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow,” added the minister of state. “We are moving towards full employment and we will ensure that all parts of Ireland can share in our prosperity and economic growth, including here in Clare,” added the Minister.