Kenny: unemployment rate still unacceptable
Ireland’s unemployment rate is still “unacceptable”, the Taoiseach has said.
Enda Kenny is launching the latest Action Plan For Jobs, which hopes to attract an extra 10,000 jobs from abroad over the next five years, on top of the 100,000 previously announced.
Kenny said the Government wants to make 2014 the “year for jobs”.
"12.3 [percent unemployment] is unacceptable - we recognise that there are too many people who still have not seen, and still do not see, the evidence of a creeping confidence coming back into our economy."
The new plan will give the IDA more funding to boost Ireland’s competitiveness abroad, with a specific focus on emerging economies, and also includes funding for a competition to find the country’s best entrepreneur.
This morning's CSO statistics provided an updated figure of 12.1% unemployment.
The Minister for Richard Bruton said encouraging more women to become entrepreneurs is key to tackling unemployment.
He says a target for 30% of new businesses to be founded by women is an achievable goal.
"We can see more women, more overseas investors, more young people choose to start up their business," he said.
