Taoiseach: Job creation is top priority
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has stated in his annual Christmas message that job creation is to be the priority for the Government in 2003.
He said the future of young people coming out of the education system is the most important focus for next year.
"I'm always conscious that there are one and three quarter million people in our labour force, but there's also a million young people in our schools," he said.
"So we must hold the jobs we have and try to make sure we provide jobs from them as they come from the education system, I think that's the most important thing for 2003."
He also said that we should take the opportunity today to reflect on the year gone by and to think about our aspirations for next year.
He also paid tribute to those women and men working in the essential and emergency services today.
